Italy and Balkans endure heatwave, US also faces soaring temperatures

Italy and the Balkans felt the impact on Monday of a record-breaking heatwave that has caused hundreds of excess deaths and disrupted ​daily life across the continent for more than a week, with growing concerns over the spread of wildfires, Reuters reported.

Across the Atlantic, the National Weather ‌Service warned of "dangerous heat with temperatures in the 90s and lower 100s (degrees Fahrenheit) across much of central and eastern U.S.," in the days before the July 4 celebrations on Saturday, the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

"The combination of prolonged daytime heating and limited nighttime relief will increase the risk of heat-related illnesses, especially for vulnerable populations and those without adequate cooling," the National Weather Service added.

For ​Western Europe, where temperatures have dipped from record June highs, there was also a warning that the heat was likely to build again next week.

In Italy, 22 ​cities from Bolzano in the north to Palermo on the southern island of Sicily were covered on Monday by a red heat ⁠warning.