Record heat in 22 cities and storms in the South
Italy is facing a severe weather split as a deadly heatwave triggers maximum alerts across the country while violent storms cause flooding in the south. These conditions are impacting health safety, travel, and major public events.
You should take extreme precautions as 22 cities are under "bollino rosso" today, indicating a maximum health risk for the entire population. This red alert status is expected to expand to 25 cities by Wednesday. The extreme temperatures have already caused four deaths, including two elderly residents in Genoa and two agricultural laborers. In response, the Ministry of Health has convened an emergency meeting following a health emergency declaration by the World Health Organization.
While the heat persists, a violent weather front is moving toward the Center-South. A "water bomb"—an intense flash flood—hit Naples, and the Palio di Siena (a historic horse race) was postponed due to heavy rain. The perturbation is bringing hail and strong winds, though it is also providing a temporary drop to more breathable temperatures in affected areas.
In economic news, Istat (the national statistics office) reports that retail sales saw a slight increase in May. This growth was driven primarily by a boom in online shopping, while the volume of goods sold in physical stores showed only marginal changes.
On the national policy front, the government has declined to tap into the "Safe" fund, an EU program offering Italy up to 14.9 billion euros in low-interest loans. Officials stated they will only consider the funds if specific clauses allowing the money to be used for defense spending are included.
For more on startup investment funds and real estate market trends, visit the News section.