Bologna braces as heatwave pushes toward 40°C

A woman splashed water on her face at the Fountain of Neptune in Bologna on June 20 as a punishing heatwave swept across much of Europe, prompting emergency meetings in France and nationwide warnings across the continent. According to Reuters, the heat is forecast to intensify in the coming days across central and western Europe, with the BBC reporting red heat alerts issued in France, Italy and Spain as temperatures reach 40°C. The Local Italy reported that Italy's first major heatwave of the summer will intensify through this week and into the next, with the centre-north expected to be particularly hard hit.

The crisis is not confined to Italy. The Guardian reported that two children aged four and two were found dead in their family's car in south-eastern France as the heatwave gripped the region, while France has placed more than a third of the country under red heat alert, cancelled outdoor sports events and restricted alcohol consumption at festivals. Reuters reported that emergency meetings in France have been convened to manage the crisis. The scale of the danger has prompted coordinated alerts across the European health system.