Italy is facing one of the most severe heat waves in recent years. This week, temperatures have reached 40°C in several cities. The maximum alert has been issued in at least 20 regional capitals.
Between Tuesday, July 2nd, and Friday, July 4th, dozens of cities will be in code red, indicating a high health risk.
Deaths in Italy and Europe
High temperatures have already claimed lives. In France, a 10-year-old girl died from heatstroke in Versailles.
In Sardinia, two men died on the beach after feeling unwell. In Genoa, an 85-year-old man died of dehydration. In Spain, forest fires and heat killed three people, including a boy left inside a car.
Rules for exposed workers
Regions such as Piedmont and Veneto have already expanded restrictions to protect workers. In Piedmont, app delivery workers were included in an order that provides breaks, water and shelters.
In Veneto, outdoor activities between 12:30 pm and 16 pm are suspended in high-risk areas.
In Milan, metro workers only work until 12:30 p.m. Glovo, in turn, offers bonuses of up to 8% to delivery drivers who continue cycling in 40°C temperatures.
Impacts on services
High temperatures are overwhelming hospitals and causing power outages — as in Florence and Bergamo. The lack of air conditioning in Milan’s kindergartens has led parents to demand urgent action. In Verona, artists have fainted on open stages.
Government discusses national protocol
The Ministry of Labor is finalizing a protocol to authorize the suspension of shifts and the use of emergency financial aid for the most exposed sectors. According to Minister Marina Calderone, “it is the State’s duty to protect workers and citizens.”
President Sergio Mattarella reinforced that “prevention is the obligation of institutions”.
Increased risk of fires and drops in production
In Lombardy, the heat has reduced milk production by 10% due to animal stress. Three regions do not have fire-fighting aircraft, warns Civil Protection.
Experts predict a partial truce over the weekend, with the arrival of rain and a drop of up to 10 degrees. But climatologist Antonello Pasini warns: the Mediterranean has become a “climate punching ball,” accumulating heat and humidity, which generates extreme phenomena.
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