Europe heatwave: Italy faces 41°C peak as WHO declares health emergency

A continent under heat stress

The heatwave, which began on 18 June, has brought record temperatures to southern Europe. Spain recorded 45°C in some regions, while France experienced its hottest day in nearly 80 years with a national average of 29.8°C. Germany expects up to 40°C by Friday, and the UK approached 40°C. In Italy, the health ministry placed 16 cities under red alert on 24 June, rising to 17 by Thursday, with Milan, Rome, Turin, Venice, and Bologna among those affected.

This heatwave is a health emergency.

The WHO reported that over 200,000 people have died from heat in Europe over the past four years.

Health systems under pressure

Italian emergency services recorded a 15% increase in calls to 118, mainly for collapses and fainting among people over 60 who were dehydrated or exposed to the sun. In Lombardy, emergency room visits rose 10.3%, particularly for cardiovascular events in cities like Pavia, Lodi, Cremona, and Mantua. Turin’s hospitals, however, saw no significant change from previous weeks.

We are seeing a 15% rise in calls to 118. Most involve collapses and fainting, typically in people over 60 who haven’t hydrated enough or stayed out in the hottest hours.

Francesco Dentali, president of Fadoi, warned that heat stress increases cardiac output and peripheral vasodilation, increasing cardiac workload, especially for the elderly and those with chronic conditions like heart failure or kidney disease.

Blackouts and infrastructure strain

Rising energy demand for cooling caused blackouts in several Italian cities on 23 June, including Naples, Milan, and Turin. Turin’s city hall lost power for 20 minutes, prompting mayor Stefano Lo Russo to criticise utility companies Iren and Ireti for failing to strengthen the grid after last summer’s emergencies.

What is happening is unacceptable. After last summer’s emergency, we asked Iren and Ireti to reinforce the electricity network. The measures taken are not sufficient.

In France, 1,800 schools closed and the Louvre and Eiffel Tower adjusted their hours. At least 40 people drowned while trying to cool off in water.

Peak still ahead

The core of the hot air mass, driven by the African anticyclone dubbed Caronte, is shifting toward northern Italy. Forecasts point to a peak between Sunday 28 June and Monday 30 June, with real temperatures of 41°C between Tuscany and Emilia and perceived temperatures up to 45°C on the Ligurian coast. Nighttime lows may stay above 25°C in cities like Milan and Bologna.

The central zone of the hot air mass will be over northern Italy in the coming days, causing a further temperature rise expected especially between Sunday 28 June and Monday 30.

Two scenarios could end the heatwave: a gradual weakening of the anticyclone and the cold drop over the Atlantic, or a sudden sweep by an Atlantic disturbance, which could trigger violent storms and hail. Relief may not arrive until early July.