As red heat alerts were issued for 17 Italian cities, including Rome, Florence, and Milan, on June 25 (local time), at least five deaths have been reported so far due to the extreme heat.

Heat alerts are categorized into three levels based on the severity of the heat: Level 1 (Yellow), Level 2 (Orange), and Level 3 (Red).

The high temperatures in major cities such as Rome, Florence, and Milan reached around 34°C (93°F) on the afternoon of June 25, and are forecast to climb as high as 37°C (99°F) over the weekend.

According to an analysis by the National Research Council (CNR), an Italian public research institution, Rome has the highest number of workers at risk of health issues due to the heatwave, with 427,000, followed by Milan (347,000) and Naples (133,000).

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)