Italy's red alert spreads to all 27 major cities as fourth heatwave peaks

Italy is to place all 27 of its major cities, from Trieste in the north to Palermo in the south, under the highest heat alert as the fourth heatwave to hit the country this summer intensifies, the Guardian reported on Wednesday. The red alert comes as temperatures in some areas edge close to 40C.

The measure spans the peninsula, covering cities from the Adriatic coast to the islands. The Guardian's report noted the alert applies to every major urban centre, a rare blanket warning as the summer's successive heat events strain public health systems and infrastructure.

For the inland Apennine highlands, the alert carries a particular weight. While the red warning targets the major cities, the mountainous interior of Abruzzo faces its own version of the stress — one measured less in urban heat islands and more in the resilience of villages already thinned by depopulation.