Hot Weather Sweeps Across Europe

 

A heatwave is sweeping across parts of southern Europe and north-west Africa, with potential record-breaking temperatures in the coming days.

Temperatures are expected to surpass 40C (104F) in parts of Spain, France, Greece, Croatia and Turkey.

In Italy, temperatures could reach as high as 48.8C (119.8F). A red alert warning has been issued for 10 cities, including Rome, Bologna and Florence.

On Tuesday, a man in his forties died after collapsing in northern Italy.

Italian media reported that the 44-year-old worker was painting zebra crossing lines in the town of Lodi, near Milan, before he collapsed from the heat. He was taken to hospital where he later died.

"We are facing an unbearable heatwave," Italian politician Nicola Fratoianni tweeted.

"Maybe it's the case that in the hottest hours all the useful precautions are taken to avoid tragedies like the one that happened today in Lodi."

"We are facing an unbearable heatwave," Italian politician Nicola Fratoianni tweeted.

"Maybe it's the case that in the hottest hours all the useful precautions are taken to avoid tragedies like the one that happened today in Lodi."

People have been advised drink at least two litres of water a day and to avoid coffee and alcohol, which are dehydrating.

One group of tourists on the streets of Rome told the Reuters news agency they were using sprinklers and thermal water as part of efforts to keep themselves cool.

"We're trying to survive," said Mariko Desso, who was visiting from the southern city of Bari.

Several visitors to the country have already collapsed due to heat stroke, including a British man outside the Colosseum in Rome.

The Cerberus heatwave - named by the Italian Meteorological Society after the three-headed monster that features in Dante's inferno - is expected to bring extreme conditions in the next few days.

Spain has been sweltering for days in temperatures of up to 45C and overnight temperatures in much of the country did not drop below 25C. A satellite image recorded by the Copernicus Sentinel mission revealed that the land temperature in the Extremadura region had hit 60C on Tuesday.

Author: James Gregory, BBC