Naples braces as Italy puts 27 cities on highest heat alert

Italy is to place all of its 27 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 covers every major urban centre, edging temperatures in some areas close to 40C.

For Campania, the alert lands at a moment of particular strain. Naples and its surrounding towns are still counting the damage from last week's magnitude 4.7 earthquake near Pozzuoli, which injured 26 people and damaged buildings in the Campi Flegrei volcanic area, according to Euronews footage of the aftermath. The Italian government has since released €100 million in aid for quake-hit areas, the civil protection minister said on Tuesday.

The combination of extreme heat and recent seismic damage creates a double burden for a region already known for its ageing housing stock and dense urban fabric. The Guardian's report notes the red alert is the highest level on Italy's heat warning system, triggering measures for vulnerable populations.