Italy has placed all major cities on the highest health alert level as a severe heatwave shifts eastward across Europe, while Hungary and Romania implement emergency energy-saving measures due to dangerously low water levels in key rivers.
Italy's Health Ministry issued an unprecedented red alert across the entire country on Thursday, covering cities from Palermo in Sicily to Bolzano in the north. The highest-level warning indicates a potential health emergency, with sustained high temperatures posing serious risks to the general population. In response, some municipalities have opened cultural venues free of charge during peak heat hours, while Rome extended free air-conditioned cinema screenings through August 14 to help residents cope with the extreme conditions.
The intense heat has progressively moved eastward across Europe in recent weeks. Austria recorded successive national temperature records this week, peaking at 41.2 degrees Celsius on Wednesday. The broader heatwave has affected much of the continent in recent months, with France and Spain experiencing particularly severe impacts, including destructive wildfires. Europe has been identified as the world's fastest-warming continent.
The extreme temperatures have compounded an acute water crisis affecting energy production across the region. Record-low water levels on the Danube have forced Hungary to shut down most of its sole nuclear power plant, which relies on the river for cooling. To conserve electricity, Hungary has switched off non-essential and decorative lighting at state institutions, including Parliament, Buda Castle, and the Chain Bridge. Romania has similarly dimmed street lighting by one-third and turned off lighting at landmark buildings. Romania is reportedly preparing to sink four rock-filled barges into the Danube to redirect water to its only functioning reactor.
The water shortage extends beyond energy concerns. Low water levels on the Rhine in Germany have disrupted shipping operations for commodities including grains, minerals, coal, and oil products, with many vessels forced to sail partially loaded at increased freight costs. In Italy's Piedmont region, authorities declared a state of emergency this week due to drought and wildfire risks. Across the region, some residents have sought refuge in natural cool spaces, with tourists in Bosnia sheltering in the UNESCO-listed Vjetrenica cave, which maintains a constant 11 degrees Celsius year-round.
