A heat wave sweeping through Europe and North Africa may reach record temperatures in some areas. Türkiye is among the countries where record high temperatures are expected to occur.
Temperatures may exceed 40 degrees Celsius in Spain, France, Greece, Croatia, and Türkiye.
In Italy, a red alert has been issued for ten cities, including Florence and Rome. It is estimated that temperatures in these areas could reach up to 48.8 degrees Celsius.
The Italian media has named the heat wave "Cerberus," taking inspiration from a character in Dante's Inferno.
According to Italian media, a man who was painting asphalt for a pedestrian crossing in the city of Lodi collapsed due to heatstroke and later passed away in the hospital.
There have been reports of tourists in the country fainting due to heatstroke.
Italian politician Nicola Fratoianni shared the incident, emphasizing the severity of the heat wave with a message stating, "We are facing an unbearable heat wave."
Fratoianni, referring to the death incident in Lodi, stated that it is time to take action to prevent tragedies that can occur during the hottest hours.
The highest recorded temperature in Europe since temperature records have been kept was detected in Italy. In Syracuse, Sicily, the thermometers measured 48.8°C in August 2021.
In Türkiye, the Meteorology Institution has issued a warning that temperatures are expected to be 5 to 10 degrees above normal in the southern and western regions, and 2 to 6 degrees above normal in other parts of the country for the week of July 12-18.
It is estimated that last year's heat wave-related complications resulted in the deaths of 60,000 people across Europe.
According to Karsten Haustein from Leipzig University, this month could go down in history as the hottest month ever recorded:
"By the hottest month in history, we mean the hottest month in the past 120,000 years. In the next few days, temperatures will decrease slightly in the Southern Hemisphere, but with the increased power of El Niño in July and August, we are likely to experience even hotter days."
