European heatwave: Red alerts issued for 16 cities in Italy

Rome, Florence and Bologna among areas affected as forecasters say Sicily and Sardinia could face record 49C temperatures

TEMPIO PAUSANIA, ITALY - JULY 12: The thermometer on a pharmacy sign reads 46 degrees celsius on July 12, 2023 in Tempio Pausania, Sardinia, Italy. The record for the highest temperature in European history was broken in August 2021, when 48.8C was registered in Floridia, a town in Italy's Sicilian province of Syracuse. (Photo by Emanuele Perrone/Getty Images)

Sixteen cities across Italy have been issued with red alerts as southern Europe continues to experience fierce heat and faces the possibility of record-breaking temperatures.

Rome, Florence and Bologna are among the areas affected by the heatwave, with forecasters suggesting that Sicily and Sardinia could see temperatures climb as high as 49C, which would be the hottest ever recorded in Europe.