Italy's 27 cities on red alert as fourth heatwave peaks

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. A red alert, the highest level, signals a health risk for the general population, not only the vulnerable, and triggers measures including cooling centres and extended public services.

The move comes as temperatures in some areas edge close to 40C, according to the Guardian's Rome correspondent. The alert covers cities across the peninsula, including Genoa, which sits on Liguria's coast and serves as the region's principal port and tourism gateway.

For Liguria, the heat arrives at the peak of the summer season, when the Riviera and Cinque Terre draw thousands of visitors daily. The red alert places additional strain on coastal services, from water supplies to emergency medical response, at a time when the region's infrastructure is already stretched by tourist numbers.

The Guardian reported that the red alert is the fourth such heatwave this summer, a pattern that has become a recurring feature of Italian summers. Experts cited by the BBC have advised that visitors can make the most of Italy during the heatwave by shifting activities to night-time hours and making use of air-conditioned supermarkets and museums during the hottest part of the day.

For the Ligurian coast, the heat compounds existing pressures. The region's beaches and hilltop villages are typically crowded in early August, the peak of the Italian holiday season. The red alert may push more visitors toward evening swimming, night-time piazzas, and the region's growing roster of after-dark cultural events, a shift that coastal businesses are already adapting to.

The heat also raises questions about the region's energy demand. The Guardian's live coverage noted that south-eastern Europe faces a heatwave energy crunch, with Romania detonating a Danube rock to increase water flow to cool a nuclear power plant. While Liguria's own energy situation differs, the broader European pattern of heat-driven energy stress is a reminder of the pressures that prolonged high temperatures place on grids and cooling systems.

The alert is expected to remain in place until temperatures subside, with the Guardian noting that the heatwave is intensifying. For Genoa's port and the region's transport links, the practical impact is likely to be measured in increased air-conditioning demand, potential rail speed restrictions on the coastal line, and the need for extra water supplies for both residents and the tourist population.