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Local Italy
30-06-2025
- Climate
- Local Italy
Cold baths and climate shelters as Southern Europe heatwave intensifies
Ambulances stood on standby near tourist hotspots and regions issued fire warnings as experts warned that such heatwaves, intensified by climate change, would become more frequent. Peaks of 43 degrees Celsius (109 Fahrenheit) were expected in areas of southern Spain and Portugal, while nearly all of France is sweltering in heat expected to last for several days. In Italy, 21 cities were on high alert for extreme heat, including Milan, Naples, Venice, Florence and Rome. "We were supposed to be visiting the Colosseum, but my mum nearly fainted," said British tourist Anna Becker, who had travelled to Rome from a "muggy, miserable" Verona. Hospital emergency departments across Italy have reported an uptick in heatstroke cases, according to Mario Guarino, vice president of the Italian Society of Emergency Medicine. "We've seen around a 10-percent increase, mainly in cities that not only have very high temperatures but also a higher humidity rate. It is mainly elderly people, cancer patients or homeless people, presenting dehydration, heat stroke, fatigue," he told AFP. 'Climate shelters' Hospitals like the Ospedale dei Colli in Naples have set up dedicated heatstroke pathways to speed up access to vital treatments like cold water immersion, Guarino said. In Venice, authorities offered free guided tours for people over 75s in air-conditioned museums and public buildings. Bologna has set up seven "climate shelters" with air conditioning and drinking water, Florence has called on doctors to flag up the lonely and vulnerable, Ancona is delivering dehumidifiers to the needy, and Rome has offered free access to city swimming pools for people aged over 70. Scientists say climate change is stoking hotter and more intense heatwaves, particularly in cities where the so-called "urban heat island" effect amplifies temperatures among tightly packed buildings. "The heatwaves in the Mediterranean region have become more frequent and more intense in recent years, with peaks of 37 degrees or even more in cities, where the urban heat island effect raises the temperatures even further," said Emanuela Piervitali, a researcher at the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA). "A further increase in temperature and heat extremes is expected in the future, so we will have to get used to temperatures with peaks even higher than those we are experiencing now," she told AFP. Invasive species In Portugal, several areas in the southern half of the country, including the capital Lisbon, are under a red warning for heat until Monday night due to "extremely high maximum temperature values", according to the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA). Two-thirds of Portugal was on high alert on Sunday for extreme heat and forest fires, as was the Italian island of Sicily, where firefighters tackled 15 blazes on Saturday. In France, experts warned that the heat was also severely impacting biodiversity. "With this stifling heat, the temperature can exceed 40 degrees in some nests," said Allain Bougrain-Dubourg, president of the League for the Protection of Birds (LPO). "We are taking in birds in difficulty everywhere; our seven care centres are saturated," he said. Extreme heat is also attracting invasive species which thrive in more tropical climates. Italy's ISPRA launched a campaign this week urging fishermen and tourists alike to report sightings of four "potentially dangerous" venomous species. The lionfish, silver-cheeked toadfish, dusky spinefoot and marbled spinefoot are beginning to appear in waters off southern Italy as the Mediterranean warms, it said.
Korea Herald
30-06-2025
- Climate
- Korea Herald
Fires break out as southern Europe heat wave intensifies
ROME (AFP) -- Firefighters mobilized in several countries to tackle blazes as southern Europeans sought shelter from punishing temperatures of a heat wave that was set to intensify in the coming days. Fires broke out in France and Turkey Sunday, with other countries already on alert. Authorities from Spain to Portugal, Italy and France urged people to seek shelter and protect the most vulnerable from the summer's first major heat wave. Ambulances stood on standby near tourist hotspots as experts warned that such heat waves, intensified by climate change, would become more frequent. In Turkey, forest fires broke out Sunday afternoon in the western Izmir province, fed by strong winds, local media reported. Firefighters backed by specially adapted planes were battling the blaze, but five neighborhoods in the Seferihisar district had to be evacuated, said the local governor. In France, wildfires broke out in the Corbieres area of Aude in the southwest, where temperatures topped 40 degrees Celsius, forcing the evacuation of a campsite and abbey as a precaution. Greek firefighters had to battle a forest blaze on the coast south of Athens that forced some evacuations. French weather service Meteo France put a record 84 out of the country's 101 regional departments on an orange heatwave alert -- the second-highest -- for Monday. Spain's weather service AEMET said temperatures in Extremadura and Andalusia, in the south and southwest, had reached up to 44 C Sunday. In Madrid, where temperatures approached 40 C, 32-year-old photographer Diego Radames told Agence France-Presse TV, "I feel that the heat we're experiencing is not normal for this time of year. "As the years go by, I have the feeling that Madrid is getting hotter and hotter, especially in the city center," he added. In Italy, 21 cities across the length of the country were on high alert for extreme heat, including Milan, Naples, Venice, Florence, Rome and Catania. "We were supposed to be visiting the Colosseum, but my mum nearly fainted," said British tourist Anna Becker, who had travelled to Rome from a "muggy, miserable" Verona. Hospital emergency departments across Italy have reported a 10-percent increase in heatstroke cases, according to Mario Guarino, vice president of the Italian Society of Emergency Medicine. "It is mainly elderly people, cancer patients or homeless people, presenting with dehydration, heat stroke, fatigue," he told AFP. Several areas in the southern half of Portugal, including Lisbon, are under a red warning until Monday night, said the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere. Two-thirds of Portugal was also on high alert Sunday for extreme heat and forest fires -- as was the Italian island of Sicily, where firefighters tackled 15 blazes Saturday. Scientists say climate change is stoking hotter and more intense heat waves, particularly in cities where the so-called "urban heat island" effect amplifies temperatures among tightly packed buildings. "The heat waves in the Mediterranean region have become more frequent and more intense in recent years," said Emanuela Piervitali, a researcher at the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research. "A further increase in temperature and heat extremes is expected in the future, so we will have to get used to temperatures with peaks even higher than those we are experiencing now," she told AFP. The heat is also attracting invasive species, which are thriving in the more tropical climes. ISPRA launched a campaign this week urging fishermen and tourists alike to report sightings of four "potentially dangerous" venomous species. The lionfish, silver-cheeked toadfish, dusky spinefoot and marbled spinefoot are beginning to appear in waters off southern Italy as the Mediterranean warms, it said. In France, experts warned that the heat was also severely hitting biodiversity. "We are taking in birds in difficulty everywhere; our seven care centres are saturated," said Allain Bougrain-Dubourg, president of the League for the Protection of Birds.
Express Tribune
30-06-2025
- Climate
- Express Tribune
Fires break out as Europe heatwave intensifies
Firefighters mobilised in several countries to tackle blazes as southern Europeans sought shelter from punishing temperatures of a heatwave that is set to intensify in the coming days. Fires broke out in France and Turkey Sunday, with other countries already on alert. Authorities from Spain to Portugal, Italy and France urged people to seek shelter and protect the most vulnerable from the summer's first major heatwave. Ambulances stood on standby near tourist hotspots as experts warned that such heatwaves, intensified by climate change, would become more frequent. In Turkey, forest fires broke out Sunday afternoon in the western Izmir province, fed by strong winds, local media reported. Firefighters backed by specially adapted planes were battling the blaze, but five neighbourhoods in the Seferihisar district had to be evacuated, said the local governor. In France, wildfires broke out in the Corbieres area of Aude in the southwest, where temperatures topped 40 degrees (104F), forcing the evacuation of a campsite and abbey as a precaution. Already last week, Greek firefighters had to battle a forest blaze on the coast south of Athens that forced some evacuations. French weather service Meteo France put a record 84 out of the country's 101 regional departments on an orange heatwave alert -- the second-highest -- for Monday. Spain's weather service AEMET said temperatures in Extremadura and Andalusia, in the south and southwest, had reached up to 44C Sunday. In Madrid, where temperatures approached 40C, 32-year-old photographer Diego Radames told AFPTV: "I feel that the heat we're experiencing is not normal for this time of year. "As the years go by, I have the feeling that Madrid is getting hotter and hotter, especially in the city centre," he added. In Italy, 21 cities across the length of the country were on high alert for extreme heat, including Milan, Naples, Venice, Florence, Rome and Catania. "We were supposed to be visiting the Colosseum, but my mum nearly fainted," said British tourist Anna Becker, who had travelled to Rome from a "muggy, miserable" Verona. Hospital emergency departments across Italy have reported a 10-percent increase in heatstroke cases, according to Mario Guarino, vice president of the Italian Society of Emergency Medicine. "It is mainly elderly people, cancer patients or homeless people, presenting with dehydration, heat stroke, fatigue," he told AFP. Several areas in the southern half of Portugal, including Lisbon, are under a red warning until Monday night, said the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA). Two-thirds of Portugal was also on high alert Sunday for extreme heat and forest fires -- as was the Italian island of Sicily, where firefighters tackled 15 blazes Saturday. Scientists say climate change is stoking hotter and more intense heatwaves, particularly in cities where the so-called "urban heat island" effect amplifies temperatures among tightly packed buildings. "The heat waves in the Mediterranean region have become more frequent and more intense in recent years," said Emanuela Piervitali, a researcher at the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA). "A further increase in temperature and heat extremes is expected in the future, so we will have to get used to temperatures with peaks even higher than those we are experiencing now," she told AFP. The heat is also attracting invasive species, which are thriving in the more tropical climes. ISPRA launched a campaign this week urging fishermen and tourists alike to report sightings of four "potentially dangerous" venomous species. The lionfish, silver-cheeked toadfish, dusky spinefoot and marbled spinefoot are beginning to appear in waters off southern Italy as the Mediterranean warms, it said. In France, experts warned that the heat was also severely hitting biodiversity. "We are taking in birds in difficulty everywhere; our seven care centres are saturated," said Allain Bougrain-Dubourg, president of the League for the Protection of Birds (LPO). AFP
Daily Express
30-06-2025
- Climate
- Daily Express
Ambulances on stand-by as southern Europe heatwave intensifies
Published on: Monday, June 30, 2025 Published on: Mon, Jun 30, 2025 By: AFP Text Size: A man uses an umbrella to shield himself from the scorching sun during the first heatwave of the year in Lisbon, on June 29, 2025. Starting this weekend southern Europe will once again face extreme temperatures exceeding 40°C. - Pic: Carlos Costa / AFP. ROME: Authorities across Southern Europe urged people to seek shelter Sunday and protect the most vulnerable as punishing temperatures from Spain to Portugal, Italy and France climbed higher in the summer's first major heatwave. Ambulances stood on standby near tourist hotspots and regions issued fire warnings as experts warned that such heatwaves, intensified by climate change, would become more frequent. Peaks of 43 degrees Celsius (109 Fahrenheit) were expected in areas of southern Spain and Portugal, and nearly all of France sweltered in an intense heat expected to last for several days. In Italy, 21 cities across the length of the country were on high alert for extreme heat, including Milan, Naples, Venice, Florence, Rome and Catania. 'We were supposed to be visiting the Colosseum, but my mum nearly fainted,' said British tourist Anna Becker, who had travelled to Rome from a 'muggy, miserable' Verona. Hospital emergency departments across Italy have reported an increase in heatstroke cases, according to Mario Guarino, vice president of the Italian Society of Emergency Medicine. 'We've seen around a 10-percent increase, mainly in cities that not only have very high temperatures but also a higher humidity rate,' he told AFP. It is mainly elderly people, cancer patients or homeless people, presenting with dehydration, heat stroke, fatigue.' 'Climate shelters' Hospitals such as the Ospedale dei Colli in Naples have set up dedicated heatstroke pathways to speed access to vital treatments such as cold water immersion, Guarino said. In Venice, authorities offered free guided tours for people over 75s in air-conditioned museums and public buildings. Bologna has set up seven 'climate shelters' with air conditioning and drinking water, Florence has called on doctors to flag up the lonely and vulnerable, Ancona is delivering dehumidifiers to the needy, and Rome has offered free access to city swimming pools for those over 70. In Lisbon, 39-year-old pharmacist Sofia Monnteiro said despite advising people 'not to go out' during the hottest hours of the day, 'we have already had some cases of heat strokes and burns'. French tourist Cedric Gerard, on holiday in the Portugese capital, said the heatwave was 'particularly intense this year'. 'It's hard to bear,' the 50-year-old added. Several areas in the southern half of Portugal, including Lisbon, are under a red warning until Monday night due to 'persistently extremely high maximum temperature values', said the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA). Two-thirds of Portugal was also on high alert Sunday for extreme heat and forest fires -- as was the Italian island of Sicily, where firefighters tackled 15 blazes Saturday. Invasive species Scientists say climate change is stoking hotter and more intense heatwaves, particularly in cities where the so-called 'urban heat island' effect amplifies temperatures among tightly packed buildings. 'The heat waves in the Mediterranean region have become more frequent and more intense in recent years, with peaks of 37 degrees or even more in cities, where the urban heat island effect raises the temperatures even further,' said Emanuela Piervitali, a researcher at the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA). 'A further increase in temperature and heat extremes is expected in the future, so we will have to get used to temperatures with peaks even higher than those we are experiencing now,' she told AFP. The heat is also attracting invasive species, which are thriving in the more tropical climes. ISPRA launched a campaign this week urging fishermen and tourists alike to report sightings of four 'potentially dangerous' venomous species. The lionfish, silver-cheeked toadfish, dusky spinefoot and marbled spinefoot are beginning to appear in waters off southern Italy as the Mediterranean warms, it said. In France, experts warned that the heat was also severely hitting biodiversity. 'With this stifling heat, the temperature can exceed 40 degrees in some nests,' said Allain Bougrain-Dubourg, president of the League for the Protection of Birds (LPO). 'We are taking in birds in difficulty everywhere; our seven care centres are saturated,' he added. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
LeMonde
30-06-2025
- Climate
- LeMonde
Fires break out in France as southern Europe heatwave intensifies
Firefighters mobilized in several countries to tackle blazes as southern Europeans sought shelter from the punishing temperatures of a heatwave that is set to intensify in the coming days. Fires broke out in France and Turkey on Sunday, June 29, with other countries already on alert. Authorities from Spain to Portugal, Italy and France urged people to seek shelter and protect the most vulnerable from the summer's first major heatwave. Ambulances stood on standby near tourist hotspots as experts warned that such heatwaves, intensified by climate change, would become more frequent. In Turkey, forest fires broke out Sunday afternoon in the western Izmir province, fed by strong winds, local media reported. Firefighters backed by specially adapted planes were battling the blaze, but five neighbourhoods in the Seferihisar district had to be evacuated, said the local governor. In France, wildfires broke out in the Corbières area of Aude in the southwest, where temperatures topped 40 degrees (104 ° F), forcing the evacuation of a campsite and abbey as a precaution. Already last week, Greek firefighters had to battle a forest blaze on the coast south of Athens that forced some evacuations. 'Not normal' French weather service Météo France put a record 84 out of the country's 101 regional departments on an orange heatwave alert – the second-highest – for Monday. Spain's weather service AEMET said temperatures in Extremadura and Andalusia, in the south and southwest, had reached up to 44 ° C on Sunday. In Madrid, where temperatures approached 40 ° C, 32-year-old photographer Diego Radames told AFPTV: "I feel that the heat we're experiencing is not normal for this time of year. "As the years go by, I have the feeling that Madrid is getting hotter and hotter, especially in the city centre," he added. In Italy, 21 cities across the length of the country were on high alert for extreme heat, including Milan, Naples, Venice, Florence, Rome and Catania. "We were supposed to be visiting the Colosseum, but my mum nearly fainted," said British tourist Anna Becker, who had travelled to Rome from a "muggy, miserable" Verona. Hospital emergency departments across Italy have reported a 10% increase in heatstroke cases, according to Mario Guarino, vice president of the Italian Society of Emergency Medicine. "It is mainly elderly people, cancer patients or homeless people, presenting with dehydration, heat stroke, fatigue," he told AFP. 'More frequent, more intense' Several areas in the southern half of Portugal, including Lisbon, are under a red warning until Monday night, said the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA). Two-thirds of Portugal was also on high alert Sunday for extreme heat and forest fires – as was the Italian island of Sicily, where firefighters tackled 15 blazes Saturday. Scientists say climate change is stoking hotter and more intense heatwaves, particularly in cities where the so-called "urban heat island" effect amplifies temperatures among tightly packed buildings. The heat is also attracting invasive species, which are thriving in the more tropical climes. ISPRA launched a campaign this week urging fishermen and tourists alike to report sightings of four "potentially dangerous" venomous species. The lionfish, silver-cheeked toadfish, dusky spinefoot and marbled spinefoot are beginning to appear in waters off southern Italy as the Mediterranean warms, it said. In France, experts warned that the heat was also severely hitting biodiversity. "We are taking in birds in difficulty everywhere; our seven care centres are saturated," said Allain Bougrain-Dubourg, president of the League for the Protection of Birds (LPO).
