A heatwave is sweeping across parts of southern Europe which ââcould break the 48.8°C record for the continent’s top temperature.
Temperature records have already been broken in many countries, including France, Switzerland, Germany and Italy, where highs of 40°C were recorded on Wednesday.
Dubbed “Cerberus” after the three-headed dog of the underworld in Greek mythology, the heatwave has already led to the death of at least one person in Italy.
A 44-year-old worker was reportedly painting a zebra crossing in 40°C heat in the town of Lodi, outside Milan, on Tuesday when he collapsed. He was reported to have lost consciousness due to the intense heat.
In Italy, temperatures could reach as high as 48.8°C, and a red alert warning has been issued for 10 cities, including Rome, Bologna, and Florence.
“We are facing an unbearable heatwave,” Italian politician Nicola Fratoianni tweeted. “Maybe it’s the case that, in the hottest hours, all the useful precautions are taken to avoid tragedies like the one that happened today in Lodi.”
Spain has also been baking for days in temperatures of up to 45°C, and the temperature of the ground in some areas of the country has reached more than 60°C.
Below are the locations in Europe where temperatures could reach their highest.
Sicily and Sardinia, Italy
Temperatures have reached around 47°C on the islands of Sicily and Sardinia.
This is approaching the highest temperature ever recorded in Europe — 48.8°C in Floridia, Sicily, in August 2021.
It has prompted Italy’s health ministry to issue heat warnings, with Bologna, Florence, Rome, and Perugia placed under the highest warnings from Wednesday to Friday. It has advised citizens, particularly the elderly, young children, and those with chronic illnesses, to avoid going outdoors and being exposed to sunlight in these areas between 11am and 6pm.
Rome, Italy
In Rome, several tourists collapsed due to heat stroke on Tuesday and early Wednesday. An unnamed British tourist fainted in front of the Colosseum on Tuesday, according to Rome’s civil protection head Giuseppe Napolitano.
Extremely high temperatures in central and southern Italy are also predicted for Friday, when the capital could see record-breaking temperatures between 40°C and 45°C.
Cities that attract lots of tourists, like Rome, are providing cooling stations near major attractions, including free water, misting tents, and healthcare officials on standby to treat heatstroke.
Athens, Greece
Temperatures in Athens reached 40°C on Wednesday, and are expected to climb at least four degrees higher next week.
The capital has also put in place some protection measures for tourists. Sunshades were set up at the Acropolis and free water is being distributed. Hospitals have also been put on standby and fire-fighting planes put on alert in case of fires spreading at archaeological sites.
Granada, Spain
Spain has also been battered by Cerberus, with the 45°C mark reached on Monday in the town of Loja near Granada.
Temperatures across the country were recorded at 35°C as early as 6am on Wednesday, and the temperature of the ground in some areas of the country has reached more than 60°C.
This heatwave follows another one in Spain in April, which saw temperatures soar to 38.8°C, smashing the previous national monthly record. The Spanish government has prepared for this summer’s heatwave with a new law passed in May, which prohibited some outdoor working during severe conditions.
Lyon, France
Although France has not seen temperatures as high as countries further south, it has still sweltered in unprecedented temperatures.
Lyon and other areas in the south reached 40°C over the weekend, with the heat then followed by storms that saw hailstones the size of tennis balls strike the east of the country.
The French government launched the country’s first heatwave-management plan this month, after last year saw record heat and drought levels.
