Italy has raised its alert level to "red alert" in 14 cities as the heatwave continues to batter the European continent.
The Ministry of Health warned that high temperatures pose a serious risk, especially to the elderly, infants, and the most vulnerable groups.
Italy uses a three-tier warning system: yellow for early warning, orange for potential danger, and red which means that the heat is threatening the health of all citizens without exception.
Meanwhile, official statistics from seven European countries revealed nearly 14,000 deaths exceeding the usual rate during the June wave, in addition to approximately 2,200 extra deaths recorded by the UK Met Office between June 18 and 28. These figures are still preliminary and are likely to rise as new updates become available.
