Italy
Italy on red alert for heat
Italy's Ministry of Health put 12 Italian cities on red alert as temperatures pushed past 40C (104 Fahrenheit) and made most activities a challenge.
The top tourist destinations of Rome, Florence and Naples were all on the list with thermometers registering temperatures way past the seasonal average.
Outside Rome's Pantheon a group of American tourists dunked hands, hats and water bottles in the fountain.
A French tourist said he was combatting the humidity with fruit, shade and water noting that despite the heat "Rome will always be magnificent."
Tourists used umbrellas to block out the blistering sun, and outdoor restaurants installed cool mist-spraying fans.
For many tourists the only solution to the oppressive heat was to gorge on Italian gelato.
The situation was expected to worsen on Wednesday with 19 cities on red alert.
