Heat-related calls to Italy's
emergency services have risen by at least 20% in the last three
weeks with respect to the equivalent period last year, Mario
Balzanelli of the 118 health-emergency-call system told ANSA on
Friday.
Italy is currently in the grip of a major heat wave.
The number of Italian cities on red alert for the heat, meaning
it is so intense it is a threat to active healthy people and not
just the vulnerable, is set to rise from seven on Friday to 11
on Saturday. They are: Ancona, Bologna, Campobasso, Florence,
Frosinone, Latina, Perugia, Rieti, Pescara, Rome and Viterbo.
Balzanelli said the rise in heat-related requests for help,
coupled with a reduction in the number of emergency doctors, has
put the system under "severe" strain.
Scientists say the climate crisis caused by human greenhouse gas
emissions is making extreme weather events such as heatwaves,
droughts, supercharged storms and flooding more frequent and
more intense.
Although there are many sources of the greenhouse gases that are
causing global heating, the main driver is the burning of fossil
fuels such as oil, gas and coal, sales of which generate huge
profits for the world's energy giants.
While much of the county bakes in the heat, areas of northern
Italy have been suffering the other side of the climate crisis,
with torrential rain causing flooding around Lake Como on
Friday, while a tornado hit the province of Varese, knocking
over trees, causing road closures and disrupting rail services.
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