41 degrees in Rome – Italy groans under the heat wave “What kind of idiot is on holiday in Crimea right now?”

Italy is groaning under the current heat wave. According to data from the Air Force’s weather service, 41 degrees were already measured in Rome at noon.

The high-pressure area “Caronte” brings very high temperatures to the Mediterranean country. The Italian Ministry of Health declared the highest alert level for heat for 20 larger cities on Tuesday and for 23 on Wednesday. This means that healthy people can also be threatened with negative physical consequences.

In Rome, civil protection has sent volunteers into the streets to help people struggling with the heat. In busy places with attractions such as the Colosseum, they hand out water bottles to the numerous tourists.

Many people in Rome also cool off at the numerous fountains – at the small “Nasoni” but also under the jets of water from larger fountains. The mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri, made it clear: bathing in the fountains is still taboo. With an app (“Waidy WOW”), 50,000 drinking water points can be found in the city.

In parts of the southern regions of Apulia, Basilicata and Calabria, the 40-degree limit was broken. The current high pressure area also affected temperatures in Sardinia and Sicily. In the interior of Sicily, 43 degrees were measured in certain areas and even 44 degrees in parts of southern Sardinia. In comparison, in the areas around the cities of Florence and Bologna, it was slightly more bearable at 37 to 38 degrees. (sda/dpa)