<
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/19/strike-threats-in-italy-and-stoppages-in-greece-as-workers-struggle-with-heat>
"Temperatures reached almost 47C in southern Italy on Wednesday and factory
workers threatened to strike over the extreme heat, while wildfires continued
to rage in Greece and temperatures in coastal waters around Spain broke
records.
In Sicily, where the European record of 48.8C was registered in August 2021,
the mercury climbed to almost 47C in the area between Mazara del Vallo, in the
province of Trapani, and Sciacca, in Agrigento province, according to data from
ilMeteo.it. Temperatures in Sardinia reached 46C while Rome – where there were
energy blackouts on Tuesday due to pressure on the grid believed to be from air
conditioners – peaked at 38C.
“This is apocalyptic,” said Claudia Bivona, 57, a teacher in Trapani.
“Something we had never experienced before. And it will get worse and worse.
I’m thinking of the elderly and also of animals. What is happening is not
normal.”
Nuccia Orlando, a nurse at a hospital in the Sicilian province of
Caltanissetta, said: “We are melting. This heat is absurd. My car’s thermometer
registered 52C inside the vehicle today. Of course, I had left it in the sun.
But still, we are talking about 52C.”
Italy’s health minister, Orazio Schillaci, said an information line would be
activated amid concerns about deaths from heat-related illnesses. A man in his
60s is believed to have died of a heat-related illness after fainting in his
bakery near the northern city of Padua, and a 44-year-old road worker died in
Milan last week."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
