Five individuals have lost their lives in Italy as the nation swelters under the grip of a deadly heatwave. A total of 17 cities were put on the highest-level heat alert for Thursday, with warnings that the heatwave could further escalate. Among the casualties were two farmers, a homeless person in Naples, a man who passed away in a cemetery in front of his parents’ grave, and a worker who fell ill while working on a water system in the Padua region.
Tragedy struck when a 61-year-old man perished in the province of Piacenza while toiling in a vineyard in scorching conditions. His lifeless body was discovered by his brother among the vine rows. Despite swift arrival of emergency services, the man could not be saved, prompting ongoing investigations by the Carabinieri.
In a separate incident, Stefano Santagostino, 56, fell ill at a cemetery in Garlasco near Milan, where he collapsed near his parents’ grave. Despite immediate medical attention, he succumbed to the illness. Authorities are investigating the role of the heat in his demise.
Forecasts indicate temperatures of 40C and 41C for Italy’s Florence and Po Valley areas on Saturday and Monday, respectively, marking the peak of the heatwave. The Italian health ministry issued heat alerts for 17 cities, including Florence, Milan, Rome, Turin, and Verona, cautioning that the heatwave may intensify further over the coming days.
Europe is currently grappling with a severe heatwave, resulting in record-high temperatures, maximum alerts, and significant consequences across multiple countries. In France, at least 48 individuals have drowned while seeking relief from the heat, and tragic deaths of children in hot cars have been reported. Spain has witnessed over 200 fatalities linked to the ongoing heatwave.
Spain’s Daily Mortality Monitoring System reported 213 deaths between Monday and Wednesday due to the extreme temperatures. Meanwhile, the UK experienced its hottest June day on record, with temperatures reaching 36.1C in Gosport, Hampshire, surpassing a previous record set in 1976. Forecasts suggest even higher temperatures today in parts of the UK, potentially breaking the newly set record.
