(ANSA) - ROME, JUL 18 - The long heatwave Italy is enduring
is set to intensify, with the number of major cities on red
alert rising from 13 on Thursday to 17 on Friday.
When an area is on red alert, it means the heat is so intense it
is a threat to active healthy people and not just vulnerable
groups such as the sick, the elderly and young children.
The cities currently on red alert, out of the 27 monitored by
the health ministry, are Ancona, Bologna, Campobasso, Florence,
Frosinone, Latina, Palermo, Perugia, Pescara, Rieti, Rome,
Trieste and Viterbo.
On Friday Bolzano, Bari, Brescia and Verona will join them.
Temperatures are forecast to get as high as 40°C in areas of
southern Italy at the weekend.
The heat is not the only problem with high humidity levels
making things especially uncomfortable. (ANSA).