JAKARTA - Italy is facing the most intense phase of the third heat wave of the year, where the air temperature in the Sardinia region is expected to reach 45 degrees Celsius. This condition triggers severe drought and a clean water supply crisis.
The ANSA news agency reported on Tuesday, July 14, that local authorities had expanded the scope of the emergency alert area as a warning of dangerous extreme weather in central and southern Italy.
The number of cities that fall into the Red Alert category (the highest level of danger) jumped from two cities on Monday to four cities on Tuesday.
Seven cities are expected to be in this highest risk category on Wednesday.
Quoted by ANTARA from Anadolu, meteorological experts predict air temperatures in most of central and southern Italy will range from 39°C to 41°C.
Meanwhile, temperatures in the interior of Sardinia are expected to reach a peak of 45°C on Friday.
Federico Brescia, a meteorologist, revealed that the extreme heat even raised the freezing level to above 5,000 meters.
He called the warming phenomenon an "extraordinary" condition.
The city of Florence has been under a red alert status since July 8 and will remain at the highest risk level at least until Wednesday, July 15.
The city government stated that the temperature is expected to range from 37°C to 39°C, with the scorching heat already felt since early morning.
On Monday, the cities of Florence and Perugia were already in red alert, followed by the cities of Brescia and Turin on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Bologna, Frosinone, and Roma are expected to follow suit and be placed in the highest emergency category on Wednesday.
A number of other cities such as Genoa and Verona are still under an orange alert status due to health risks that threaten vulnerable groups, including the elderly and children.
In the north of Italy, the Piedmont region is struggling with a severe clean water crisis due to prolonged heat and lack of rainfall.
Regional authorities have even asked for water supply assistance from neighboring regions, including the Aosta Valley and the Ticino Canton in Switzerland, in order to save the agricultural sector.
Around 100 municipalities in Piedmont have imposed restrictions on the use of drinking water.
Meanwhile, several community groups in mountainous areas are now forced to rely on water supplies from tanker trucks.
Extreme temperatures also raise serious concerns about work safety.
In Florence, food delivery couriers from the platforms Glovo and Deliveroo are planning to go on strike on Wednesday, in protest against "impossible working conditions" due to the heat wave.
Responding to the situation, several regions in Italy have started to implement a ban on working outdoors during the hottest hours of the day.
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