Because of an extremely high temperature with increased humidity, the level of danger in Rome, Bologna, Milano, Perugia, Brescia and Latina was set to three, which is the highest one. The daytime temperature in these cities gets over 40 degrees while the humidity is no less than 40%. Italian Civil Defense Service started to undertake measures in order to protect the population and tourists.
In the nearest time the extraordinary climatic situation will affect some more Italian towns – Messina, Civitavecchia, Florence, Venice, Trieste, Rieti, and Bolzano. The weather forecasters suggest that such high temperature will stay for another week before it starts to drop.
In Roman subway the staff of Civil Defense Service gives away free bottles with mineral water to the passengers. In Bolzano a special rest home with air-conditioners was opened where one can wait through the heat, in Vicenza there is an emergency service setup to delivery products to those who cannot stand the heat. The highest temperatures are expected in the nearest couple of days in Messina; the tourists visiting this town are asked to take precaution measures.
Health Ministry of Italy warns tourists and inhabitants that in such heat they should consume more water, eat only light food and if possible not to be in the open air from 11:00 until 18:00. They are also advised to take a warm shower more often, use protective creams and not to leave people and pets in parked cars.
It is worth remembering that in the summer of 2007 more than 700 people in Europe died of excruciating heat. The state of emergency was also announced in Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria as well as in Serbia and Croatia; Greece, Portugal, Macedonia and Italy were terrorized by the forest fires.
