All 27 major Italian cities are under the highest heat alert for the first time this year as a sweeping heat wave pushes temperatures above 104 degrees Fahrenheit across parts of Europe and strains energy and transport systems on the continent.
Italy's health ministry placed its entire national heat surveillance network on red alert Thursday. The alerts stretch from Trieste in the northeast to Palermo in Sicily. Residents and tourists were urged to avoid direct sunlight during the hottest parts of the day, stay indoors when possible, and drink plenty of water. Evening opening hours were extended at landmarks including Rome's Colosseum and the Pantheon. Cooling mist fans were installed at the Colosseum's entrances and additional medical stations were made available.
The most extreme temperature was recorded in Austria, where the mercury reached 106.2 degrees Fahrenheit on Wednesday in the village of Bad Deutsch-Altenburg near the Slovak border, according to GeoSphere Austria. It was the highest temperature ever recorded in the country. Austria is also dealing with severe drought. Rainfall from January 1 through June 30 was 27% below the long-term average nationwide, and some eastern regions received only half their normal precipitation. Climatologist Alexander Orlik said some parts of the country had not experienced such dry conditions since 1885.
The situation in Hungary is more acute. Prolonged drought and record-low water levels on the Danube River have severely affected the country's only nuclear power plant, which relies on river water to cool its reactors. Plant operators have reduced output to about 10% of normal production, prompting the government to introduce emergency conservation measures. On normal days, the 44-year-old Soviet-designed facility generates roughly 50% of the country's electricity.
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar visited the site Tuesday. "Several factors will determine whether Hungary's most important power plant can avoid a complete shutdown in the coming days," he said.
In Germany, Transport Minister Steffen Bilger warned Thursday that low water levels on the Rhine and other rivers posed major challenges for inland waterway shipping, industry, and the broader logistics chain. In southeastern France, firefighters maintained a large presence in the Var region after a major wildfire broke out, according to CBS News.
The heat wave has prompted health warnings for millions across the continent. Officials across multiple countries have warned that the most vulnerable populations, including the elderly and those with chronic illnesses, face the greatest risk during the prolonged extreme heat.
