Austria hits 41.2C as Italy issues red alerts

Italy’s Health Ministry put all 27 cities in its national heat surveillance network on red alert on Thursday, August 6, the first time this year the entire system has been under the highest warning level at once. Austria, meanwhile, recorded 41.2 degrees Celsius in Bad Deutsch-Altenburg on Wednesday, according to national weather service GeoSphere Austria, setting a new national high after a 41.0C reading in Vienna a day earlier. The same heatwave has fueled wildfires in France and added pressure to transport and power systems across Europe, according to multiple reports. Health authorities in affected areas urged people to avoid outdoor activity during the hottest afternoon hours. ### Which places are under the highest alert in Italy? Italy’s Health Ministry placed all 27 monitored cities on red alert Thursday, with warnings stretching from Trieste in the northeast to Palermo in Sicily. The ministry’s highest alert level signals a health risk for the whole population, not only for older people, children or those with chronic illness. ANSA reported that this was the first time all 27 cities in the ministry’s monitoring system were simultaneously at maximum alert. (cbsnews.com) The country is in its fourth heatwave of the year, according to that report. ### Where was Austria’s record set? Bad Deutsch-Altenburg, near Austria’s border with Slovakia, reached 41.2C on Wednesday, GeoSphere Austria said. (cbsnews.com) That broke the previous national record of 41.0C, which had been set only a day earlier in Vienna, according to reports citing the weather service. France 24 and other outlets said Slovakia also set a national temperature record during the same hot spell. (ansa.it) The back-to-back records in Austria underscored how quickly temperatures climbed across central Europe this week. ### What else is the heatwave disrupting across Europe? France has been dealing with wildfires during the current heatwave, while drought conditions have deepened in parts of central and southern Europe, according to Euronews and CBS News. (wam.ae) Reports also said high temperatures disrupted transport and energy systems, with infrastructure under strain as temperatures moved above 40C in several countries. (france24.com) Hungary has curbed some power use as the heat pushed up demand, according to reports carried by other outlets on August 5 and 6. Low river levels linked to drought have also added pressure in parts of the Danube region. ### What are authorities telling people to do? Italian authorities issued emergency health advisories tied to the red alerts and recommended limiting time outdoors during peak afternoon heat. (cbsnews.com) The warnings emphasized hydration, avoiding strenuous activity and checking on people considered most vulnerable to heat stress. Across the region, public officials have been adapting services and schedules as temperatures remain elevated. (detroitnews.com) Some Italian tourist sites have shifted to later opening hours during the heatwave, according to separate coverage. ### What should readers watch next? Thursday’s red alerts and Wednesday’s Austrian record are the latest official markers in a heatwave that is still affecting multiple European countries. (cbsnews.com) Italy’s Health Ministry surveillance updates and GeoSphere Austria’s temperature bulletins will show whether the all-city red alert persists into Friday, August 7, and whether Austria’s 41.2C mark stands or is exceeded. (euronews.com)