HEATWAVE SWEEPS ACROSS WESTERN EUROPE

BERLIN, JUNE 27 /SRNA/ – A heatwave with air temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius has swept across Western Europe, causing dozens of deaths and disrupting rail transport, electricity production, school operations, and outdoor events.

Italy's Ministry of Health has issued a red alert for 18 cities, including Milan, Rome, Turin, Venice, Genoa, Florence, and Bologna.

Italian singer Loredana Bertè said she had cancelled her concert scheduled for tomorrow in the city of Bergamo on the advice of her management and medical staff due to the extreme heat.

Friday was the warmest June night ever recorded in Bolzano, in the Italian Alps, with temperatures not dropping below 25.4 degrees Celsius.

Germany's national railway operator, Deutsche Bahn, has allowed passengers to cancel long-distance travel reservations free of charge until the beginning of next week.

Railway infrastructure is under particular strain due to prolonged exposure to the sun, while thunderstorms and wildfires pose an additional risk to signalling systems, tracks, and overhead power lines.

The most extreme heat is expected to begin easing over the weekend, with severe thunderstorms forecast for tomorrow.