ROME,
July 18: Temperatures were expected to reach record highs in Italy on
Tuesday and the World Meteorological Organization warned of an increased
risk of deaths as heatwaves and extreme weather gripped parts of
Europe, Asia and the United States.
The Mediterranean island of
Sardinia could see highs of more than 47 Celsius (116 Fahrenheit) and
forecasters said temperatures could hit 40 degrees in several Italian
cities, including 42-43 degrees in the Lazio region that includes Rome.
With
baking temperatures hitting Europe during the peak summer tourist
season, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said the heatwave in
the northern hemisphere was set to intensify over the coming days and
warned of an increased risk to health. An estimated 61,000 people may
have died in heatwaves last year in Europe alone.
Heatwaves this
summer, which saw temperatures climb to 53 degrees in California's Death
Valley and over 52 degrees in China's northwest, have coincided with
wildfires from Greece to the Swiss Alps and deadly flooding in India and
South Korea.
They have added fresh urgency to talks this week between the United States and China, the world's top greenhouse gas polluters.
U.S.
climate envoy John Kerry met Chinese officials in Beijing and expressed
hope that climate cooperation could redefine troubled ties between the
two powers.
Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed that Beijing's
commitment to carbon neutrality and a carbon peak was certain but that
it would not be influenced by others.
"Temperatures in North America,
Asia, and across North Africa and the Mediterranean will be above 40?C
for a prolonged number of days this week as the heatwave intensifies,"
the WMO said. Overnight minimum temperatures were also expected to reach
new highs, the WMO said, creating the risk of increased cases of heart
attacks and deaths.
"Whilst most of the attention focuses on daytime
maximum temperatures, it is the overnight temperatures which have the
biggest health risks, especially for vulnerable populations," it said.
The
heat in Europe could also prompt a lasting shift in tourist habits,
with more people choosing cooler destinations or travelling in spring or
autumn, tourism organisations predicted.
Meanwhile, Soaring summer
temperatures across southern Europe could prompt a lasting shift in
tourist habits, with more travellers choosing cooler destinations or
taking their holidays in spring or autumn to dodge the extreme heat,
tourism bodies and experts predict.
European Travel Commission (ETC)
data shows the number of people hoping to travel to the Mediterranean
region in June to November has already fallen 10% compared to last year,
when scorching weather led to droughts and wildfires.
Destinations like the Czech Republic, Denmark, Ireland and Bulgaria have meanwhile seen a spike in interest.
"We
anticipate that unpredictable weather conditions in the future will
have a greater impact on travellers' choices in Europe," said Miguel
Sanz, the head of the ETC.
A report by the trade body also shows 7.6%
of travellers now see extreme weather events as a major concern for
trips between June and November.
Among them are Anita Elshoy and her
husband, who returned home to Norway from their favourite vacation spot
of Vasanello, a village north of Rome, a week earlier than planned this
month as temperatures reached around 35C.
"(I) got a lot of pain in
the head, legs and (my) fingers swelled up and I became more and more
dizzy," Elshoy said of her heat-related symptoms. "We were supposed to
be there for two weeks, but we couldn't (stay) because of the heat."
Demand
for travel has soared again this summer as tourists leave behind years
of pandemic restrictions, and travel companies say the heat hasn't
caused many cancellations - yet.
Britons in particular have booked
fewer holidays at home and more in the Mediterranean, often many months
in advance, as they continue to crave post-lockdown beach escapes, said
Sean Tipton of British travel agent group ABTA. ?REUTERS