Britain and France have already reported their hottest ever May days this week as a "heat dome" brought sizzling temperatures to western Europe.Several people have died in both Britain and France, mostly in drowning accidents that the authorities have linked with the heatwave.Italy has so far been spared the highest temperatures but on Thursday officials warned people in Rome and four northern cities to stay out of the sun."We're sweating a lot," said Spanish tourist Nana Martinez Garcia, trying to stay cool outside Rome's Colosseum on Thursday with temperatures hitting 32C.
What is a heat dome? © Mélodie LONTJENS, Sabrina BLANCHARD, Sophie RAMIS / AFP
"We're drinking a lot of water so we can cool down," she said, with her friend Maria Angeles Mellinas Tello chiming in that they were "staying in the shade" whenever they could.The first red alert of the year in Italy -- which also covered Florence, Bologna, Brescia and Turin -- warned of "possible negative effects on the health of healthy, active people".Scientists say human-driven climate change is amplifying such extremes, with weather events like heatwaves, droughts and floods becoming more intense and frequent.Tennis woesThe worst of the heat seemed to have passed in Britain, but much of France continued to bake on Thursday.
