Italy declares red heatwave alert in 15 cities

Italy's health ministry issued a red heatwave alert for 15 cities, including major centers like Milan and Rome, on Tuesday. The highest level of alert advises people to remain indoors during the hottest parts of the day. This number is projected to climb to 16 cities on Wednesday and 17 on Thursday.

The extreme heat has already led to power outages in Milan and Turin, attributed to a surge in air conditioning usage. In Parma, northern Italy, the hospital service reported that 1,068 individuals sought emergency care over the past three days due to heat-related illnesses.

Further compounding the issue, seven public health service clinics in Rome reportedly lack functioning air conditioning, according to a doctors' association quoted by Corriere della Sera. The city's transport authority, Atac, noted that the batteries on its new electric buses are depleting faster than anticipated because of increased air conditioning use. Atac stated it is organizing services to cope with the unusual heatwave.

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We are organising the service to face up to this unusual heatwave