Italy places 27 cities on red alert as heatwave grips Europe

Italy's health ministry placed 27 cities, from Trieste in the northeast to Palermo in Sicily, on red alert ahead of the weekend as a blistering heatwave across much of Europe toppled temperature records and disrupted energy and transportation systems in several countries, France 24 reported on Friday.

The alert, the highest level in Italy's heat-health warning system, signals that temperatures are approaching or exceeding those recorded during the infamous summer of 2003, according to The Local Italy. The heat has also set a national temperature record in Austria, fueled wildfires in France, and disrupted energy grids and transport networks across the continent, CBS News reported.

In Rome, the extreme heat has exposed vulnerabilities in public infrastructure. The city's newest metro line, Metro C, is facing criticism over high temperatures on platforms and carriages, while air conditioning systems on electric buses struggle with conditions they were not designed for, The Local Italy reported.