May 27, 2026, 2:13 p.mMay 27, 2026, 2:13 p.m
Pure sunshine, hardly a cloud in the sky and temperatures around or above 30 degrees: it has been hot in Italy for a few days. The Ministry of Health has declared the highest heat warning level for four larger cities – Rome, Florence, Bologna and Turin – for Thursday. This means that even healthy people can be at risk of negative physical effects.
It’s not just Rome that gets hot on Thursday.Image: keystone
However, temperatures are expected to drop on Friday. The highest heat warning level is no longer in effect in any Italian city this weekend.
In the capital Rome, Mayor Roberto Gualtieri signed a decree on Wednesday with measures to prevent fires and deal with the risks associated with heat waves. Among other things, on days with the highest warning level (red), larger public facilities with cooling systems must be made accessible to citizens.
From now on, it is also mandatory at lunchtime to provide breaks in shaded or cooled areas on construction sites and when working in the agricultural sector and to use ventilation or cooling if necessary. In Italy, too, there have been deaths in recent summers among workers on construction sites who worked during the very hot midday hours. (sda/dpa)