Italy took the unprecedented step of placing all its major cities on the highest level of health alert due to high temperatures yesterday while Hungary turned off the lights at some of its best-known buildings to save energy as a heatwave maintained its grip on large parts of Europe.

Europe, the world’s fastest-warming continent, has been ravaged by record-breaking heat and destructive wildfires this summer, with France and Spain particularly hard hit in recent weeks.

The focus of the heatwave has since moved further east, with temperatures in Austria hitting successive national records this week, peaking at 41.2 degrees Celsius (106.2 degrees Fahrenheit) on Wednesday.

Italy is accustomed to hot summers, but the red alert issued by the Health Ministry stretches from Palermo on the southern island of Sicily to Bolzano in the mountainous north. Such a warning indicates a potential health emergency with prolonged high temperatures posing a serious health risk to the entire population.

In the northwestern city of Genoa, people aged 65 and over can escape the heat by visiting museums and libraries free of charge during the hottest hours of the day this month.