Rome: Italy is placing all its 27 major cities under its highest heat alert on Thursday, as the country's fourth heatwave of the summer intensifies, the health ministry said on Tuesday.
Twenty-five cities were put on red alert on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the only two currently on a lesser amber alert, Messina and Reggio Calabria in the far south of the country, moving up to the maximum level on Thursday.
A red alert indicates a potential health emergency with prolonged high temperatures posing a serious health risk to the entire population, including young and healthy people.
Local authorities urged residents in affected areas to avoid exposure to heat and direct sunlight during the hottest hours of the day, between 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., stay indoors where possible and drink plenty of fluids.
A spokesperson at the health ministry said it was the first time this year that all 27 cities had been issued with a red alert, but could not confirm if this had ever happened in previous years.
Temperatures have climbed to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in some areas of Italy and little relief is expected before the weekend. Forecasters say the heatwave is being fuelled by a North African anticyclone that has strengthened over the Mediterranean and stretched across much of Europe.