Roma- Italy – August 14, 2025 –
Italy is enduring a severe and deadly heatwave, with a total of 16 cities, including major hubs like Rome, Milan, and Florence, now under a red alert. The crisis has turned tragic with the death of a four-year-old child from heatstroke on Monday, a harrowing reminder of the dangers posed by the soaring temperatures.
The young boy, a Romanian national, was found unconscious in his family’s car on the island of Sardinia. He was airlifted to a hospital in Rome but succumbed to irreversible brain damage caused by the extreme heat. The incident has sent shockwaves across the country, prompting officials to issue urgent warnings about the risks of leaving children and vulnerable people in vehicles during the heatwave.
The Italian Ministry of Health initially issued a red alert for 11 cities on Tuesday, including Rome, Milan, Florence, and Bologna. By Wednesday, the number of cities under the highest alert level had increased to 16, with the addition of Genoa, Venice, and Verona. A red alert signifies emergency conditions that pose a risk not only to vulnerable groups like the elderly and young children but also to healthy and active individuals.
The heatwave has seen temperatures reach as high as 40°C in some areas, with Florence and Milan particularly affected. The prolonged high temperatures are part of a wider heat dome that has settled over much of Southern Europe, fueling wildfires in neighboring Spain and Greece. The high humidity in many Italian cities is making the “feels like” temperature even higher, creating a dangerous and uncomfortable environment for both residents and tourists.
Italian authorities have been urging people to take precautions, advising them to stay indoors during the hottest parts of the day, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and to seek shelter in air-conditioned public places. The Ministry of Health has also issued guidelines that recommend drinking at least 1.5 liters of water per day, eating lightly, and taking care to store medications properly. In cities like Rome, tourists are being advised to use a special app to locate the nearest public drinking fountains, while being reminded that using historic fountains for a dip can result in a hefty fine.
The current heatwave is a stark illustration of the growing threat of climate change, with scientists reporting that such events are becoming more frequent and intense. Studies from previous heatwaves, such as the one in 2022 that caused over 18,000 deaths in Italy alone, have shown the devastating human cost. While the exact number of heat-related deaths from this current crisis is still being tallied, the tragic death of the four-year-old boy is a grim early indicator of the potential for a high toll.
The ongoing heatwave has also strained the country’s infrastructure, with increased demand for electricity for air conditioning and a rise in hospital admissions for heat-related illnesses. The Italian Red Cross has been on high alert, working to provide assistance to the most vulnerable. As the country heads into the popular Ferragosto holiday weekend, which coincides with the expected peak of the heatwave, authorities are bracing for the possibility of more heat-related emergencies.
