Heatwave in Italy Disrupts Economic Activity, Five Dead

A severe heatwave sweeping Italy has killed five people and forced authorities to extend the highest level of heat warning to 18 cities for Friday, up from 17 on Thursday. Among the victims were two farmers in the northern provinces of Lodi and Piacenza, a homeless man in Naples, and a man who died in a cemetery in Garlasco near Pavia in the Lombardy region, ANSA news agency reported. Italy continues to experience extremely high temperatures affecting much of the country. The decision to expand the warnings came after a technical committee chaired by Health Minister Orazio Schillaci met on Thursday to discuss additional measures to tackle the extreme heat. Genoa was added to the list of cities under a red alert, joining Rome, Milan, Florence, Venice, Turin, Bologna, Bari, Ancona, Bolzano, Brescia, Frosinone, Latina, Perugia, Pescara, Rieti, Verona, and Viterbo. A red alert indicates weather conditions severe enough to pose a health risk not only to vulnerable groups such as the elderly, children, and those with chronic illnesses, but also to healthy individuals. The heatwave is also disrupting cultural sites and public services. The Uffizi Gallery in Florence said ticket sales would remain suspended until at least 28 June after a breakdown in the air conditioning system forced the museum to stop admitting visitors. The two-storey Juliet’s House, one of the most popular tourist attractions in Verona, will be closed to visitors from Friday due to the heat and overcrowding. Court hearings were also suspended in the southern city of Palermo because of the high temperatures. In Milan, tourists were seen carrying umbrellas and hand fans while seeking shelter from the heat near fountains around the city’s iconic Duomo cathedral. Local media also reported a 20 per cent increase in emergency room admissions across the Lombardy region as the heatwave intensified. Meteorologists expect temperatures to peak over the weekend. Italy is among several European countries experiencing a surge in temperatures at the start of the summer.