Italy places all major cities under highest heat alert as a blistering heat wave grips Europe.
Italy placed all 27 cities monitored by its national heat surveillance system under red alert on Thursday, marking the first time this year that the entire network has been under the highest warning level simultaneously. The extreme weather has pushed temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius in several countries, setting national records in Austria and Slovakia. This heat wave has exposed vulnerabilities in public health systems, power generation, and transportation networks across the continent. In Hungary, record-low water levels on the Danube River have forced the country's only nuclear power plant to reduce output to 10% of normal production, prompting the government to introduce emergency conservation measures. Germany's Transport Minister Steffen Bilger warned that low water levels pose major challenges for inland waterway shipping and the broader logistics chain. Meanwhile, in France, firefighters continue to monitor a large wildfire in the Var region, which is the largest recorded in the region in recent decades. Authorities across Europe are urging residents to remain indoors and seek relief from the scorching temperatures.