Italy’s prolonged heatwave is set to worsen, with the number of major cities on red alert increasing from 13 on Thursday to 17 on Friday.
A red alert signifies that the heat poses a threat not only to vulnerable groups such as the sick, elderly, and young children but also to healthy, active individuals.
Currently, the cities on red alert, out of the 27 monitored by the health ministry, include Ancona, Bologna, Campobasso, Florence, Frosinone, Latina, Palermo, Perugia, Pescara, Rieti, Rome, Trieste, and Viterbo. On Friday, Bolzano, Bari, Brescia, and Verona will be added to this list.
Temperatures are expected to soar up to 40°C in parts of southern Italy over the weekend, with high humidity levels exacerbating the discomfort.
Scientists attribute the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, droughts, supercharged storms, and flooding, to the climate crisis driven by human greenhouse gas emissions. The primary source of these emissions is the burning of fossil fuels like oil, gas, and coal, which continue to generate significant profits for the world’s energy giants.
