ROME — Southern Europe is baking under the first major heatwave of the northern summer, with temperatures soaring close to—or beyond—104 degrees Fahrenheit (40°C) across multiple countries, forcing authorities to take emergency measures and reigniting warnings about the accelerating impact of climate change, as reported by NDTV.
In Rome, the mercury climbed to 99°F (37°C) Saturday, sending throngs of tourists and pilgrims scrambling toward the city’s 2,500 public fountains in search of relief. The Vatican, like the rest of the Eternal City, shimmered under the oppressive sun.
Marseille, on France’s Mediterranean coast, braced for highs near 104°F. In response, local officials opened public swimming pools for free to help residents cool down. Further east, Venice wilted under the heat, with even high-profile events like billionaire Jeff Bezos’s wedding drawing protestors and guests into the sweltering streets.
“There is no wind, a lot of humidity—we’re sweating constantly,” said Alejandra Echeverria, a tourist from Mexico. “I can’t sleep at night.”
Southern Portugal faces similar extremes. Lisbon is expected to reach 108°F (42°C) on Sunday, and two-thirds of the country is under high alert for both extreme heat and wildfire risk. Spain, no stranger to deadly summer fires, braces for blistering temperatures across the Iberian Peninsula, with some regions forecast to top 108°F.
In Italy, where Naples and Palermo anticipate highs near 102°F (39°C), regions like Sicily and Liguria have issued temporary bans on outdoor work during peak heat hours. Trade unions are pushing to make the policy national. In Nice, France, nearly 250 electric fans have been distributed to local schools to fight off the heat indoors.
This latest heatwave follows Europe’s hottest March on record and a string of extreme weather events globally. Scientists have long warned that rising temperatures, fueled by fossil fuel emissions, are intensifying heatwaves, storms, droughts, and floods.
As the summer deepens, the continent is left confronting not just unbearable temperatures—but the mounting cost of a warming planet.
