Europe swelters under record temperatures in peak tourist season

Synopsis

Europe braces for a scorching weekend as temperatures soar above 40 degrees Celsius, exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit, particularly in Southern and central European countries. This extreme heat follows the world's hottest day recorded last week, attributed to greenhouse gases and the El Nino weather pattern. In Italy, cities like Rome and Florence face red alerts due to hot air from Africa and a heat dome effect that traps hot air in the region. The Italian Health Ministry issues a 10-point guideline to help residents cope with the heat, which has already claimed lives, including a man near Milan and another who collapsed outside the Coliseum in Rome. Authorities prepare for what could be the hottest day ever, highlighting the increasing frequency of extreme temperatures, as seen in Sicily's record of 48 degrees in 2021 and the 18,000 heat-related deaths reported last year.