Europe's heatwave pushes 92 million past 35C, Italy in the eye

Areas of Europe home to at least 92 million people are set for temperatures above 35C on Wednesday, according to AFP calculations reported by The Local Italy. France, Italy and Spain are expected to bear the brunt of the continent's latest heatwave.

The figures underscore a summer that has already seen multiple extreme heat events across southern Europe. For Lombardy, the heat is compounding existing pressures on the region's infrastructure, from energy grids to transport networks.

Milan, Italy's financial and industrial capital, is particularly exposed. The city's dense urban fabric and continental climate, marked by humid summers, can amplify the effects of prolonged high temperatures, a pattern foreign correspondents have noted in their coverage of Italy's summer struggles.