Italy has issued a red alert for over 15 cities in anticipation of heatwaves expected to hit the country over the weekend.

The nation's Health Ministry has warned that high temperatures will affect several Italian cities. On Saturday, 15 cities will be on red alert, and the number increases to 16 on Sunday.

These cities include Rome, Bologna, Florence, Catania, Campobasso, Bari, Frosinone, Latina, Perugia, Pescara, Rieti, Viterbo, Cagliari, Civitavecchia, Messina, and Palermo.

The heatwaves pose a threat not only to the elderly, medically vulnerable individuals, and children but to the entire population, according to the warning. Temperatures are expected to soar up to 12 degrees Celsius (53.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above average.

In Rome, the forecast predicts temperatures of 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) on Saturday and 43 degrees Celsius (109.4 degrees Fahrenheit) on Sunday.

The European Space Agency has highlighted that Italy, Spain, France, Germany, and Poland are all facing a major heatwave, with air temperatures possibly reaching 48 degrees Celsius (118.4 degrees Fahrenheit) on the islands of Sicily and Sardinia.

This could potentially mark the hottest temperatures ever recorded in Europe. The agency also noted that these soaring temperatures follow global temperature records being shattered.

These extreme temperatures in Europe coincide with the planet experiencing the hottest few days on record in the early days of July, according to the World Meteorological Organization.

June 2023 was the hottest June on record, accompanied by unprecedented sea surface temperatures and record low levels of Antarctic Sea ice. A report from the Copernicus Climate Change Service revealed that June 2023 was slightly over 0.5 degrees Celsius above the 1991-2020 average.

The current heatwave aligns with the onset of El Niño, a natural phenomenon that warms the Pacific Ocean. It is expected that global temperatures will rise further, leading to the breaking of more weather records.

A recent study published in Nature Medicine indicated that over 60,000 people lost their lives due to summer heatwaves across Europe last year. Italy, Greece, Spain, and Portugal had the highest mortality rates. This summer is predicted to be even more severe.

The Red Cross has urged both locals and tourists to exercise extreme caution and pay attention to the most vulnerable individuals in light of the high temperatures. (ILKHA)