Italy places 27 cities on red alert as heatwave grips Europe

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

The alert covers all major urban centers and signals the severity of the summer heat, which CBS News reported has set a national temperature record in Austria, fueled wildfires in France, and disrupted energy and transportation systems across the continent.

The Local Italy reported that temperatures across much of Italy are approaching or exceeding those recorded during the infamous summer of 2003, as heatwaves become more frequent. The comparison to 2003, which was marked by tens of thousands of excess deaths across Europe, underscores the gravity of the current episode.