Worker dies in European heatwave as warnings issued to tourists – with temperatures to reach extreme levels

Much of Southern Europe is sweltering under an extreme heatwave pushing temperatures well past 40C – with Italy reporting the death of a street sign painter who collapsed working in the heat. The 44-year-old worker collapsed while on the job in the northern town of Lodi on Tuesday. He was rushed to hospital but doctors were unable to revive him, according to local media. It comes as nations across Southern Europe issued warnings to both residents and tourists, as millions of holidaymakers head off for their holidays on the Mediterranean. Temperatures could spike as high as 45C to 48C in parts of Sicily and Sardinia in Italy and Cordoba and Seville before the week is out. Temperatures are also starting to tick up in Greece, where a heat wave was forecast to reach up to 44C in some parts of the country in the coming days. The heatwave was named "Cerberus" after the three-headed monster dog in Greek mythology which guards the gates of the underworld. Ruben del Campo, of Aemet, the Spanish state meteorological agency, said: “In some points of the south the temperatures will reach 44C on Wednesday. More than 100 weather stations registered temperatures of at least 35C as early as 6am on Wednesday. “In general, in Andalusia, temperatures will be above 40C. The heat will be suffocating in Cordoba and Granada and areas of the Costa del Sol”. He added: “At night temperatures will not fall below 25C in Granada, Almeria, Seville and Las Palmas in the Canary Islands.” Mr Del Campo added that from Thursday temperatures would fall in the Balearic Islands and east of the country but not in the south and west of Spain. Cristina Linares, co-director of climate, health, and urban environment at the Carlos III Institute of Health in Madrid, proposed using libraries, health centres, churches and public transport as air-conditioned places which can be used by the elderly, pregnant women and those with breathing problems as temperatures soar. In Italy, 10 cities were put on high heat alert for older people and other vulnerable populations from Bolzano in the north extending southward to Bologna, Florence and Rome. Ms Linares also warned tourists to avoid heavy drinking in the heat. “People who are not used to living in hot countries should also be warned against heavy drinking of alcohol during heat waves,” she told The Independent. But some appeared happy to disregard that advice. Jack, 13, a British schoolboy who lives in Barcelona, started selling drinks on the beach with friends. “Most people seem to want cold water and beer but I am not allowed to sell beer. We have done well. I made €7,” he said. Many homes in Spain battened down the hatches against the heat, with all windows and shutters closed during the day. In Cádiz, in southern Spain, police used air-conditioning units which were seized in raids on drug factories and installed them in public schools, which are used in summer for children’s camps. If tourists struggle with the scorching heat during the day, trying to get to sleep at night with tropical temperatures over 25C in many parts of Spain will not be easy. Spain’s state-run RTVE television ran a report advising people on the tricks to sleep properly during a heat wave. “Sleep near a window, wear little in the way of clothes, drink as much as you can and if you still cannot sleep put on the air conditioning,” the reporter told viewers. In Greece, authorities banned access to nature reserves and forests to reduce the risk of wildfires, while municipalities were opening air-conditioned areas in public buildings for people to shelter from the heat. The country's agriculture ministry also issued restrictions on the transportation and working hours of animals such as horses and donkeys offering rides in tourist areas during the heat wave. Working animals will not be allowed to work between noon and 5pm on days where temperatures are between 35C to 39C in the shade, while they will not be allowed to work at any time of the day when temperatures exceed that range. Extreme heatwaves contributed to more than 60,000 deaths in Europe in 2022, according to a report issued earlier this week. The study, conducted by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) and published in the journal Nature Medicine, estimated that 61,672 deaths were caused by extreme heat in Europe between 30 May and 4 September 2022. The highest temperature in European history was recorded in Syracuse, in Sicily in August 2021 at 48.8C. Read More G7 countries sign joint declaration in support of Ukraine at Nato summit Spain sweats out sultry nights as heat wave bakes southern Europe ‘You belong in Nato’ Rishi Sunak tells Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky Argentina turns its attention to youth divisions in search of a Messi-like player in women's soccer Red Hot Chili Peppers and Ms. Lauryn Hill will headline Global Citizen Festival to fight inequality With player stylists and Gucci collabs, MLB eyes a fresh look with younger fans