Baghdad: Italy has raised its alert level to "red alert" in 14 cities as the heatwave continues to grip the European continent.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Ministry of Health warned that the high temperatures pose an imminent danger, especially to the elderly, infants, and the most vulnerable groups.

Italy employs a three-tiered warning system: yellow for early warning, orange for potential danger, and red, meaning the heat now threatens the health of all citizens without exception.

Meanwhile, official statistics from seven European countries revealed nearly 14,000 deaths exceeding the usual average during the June heatwave, in addition to approximately 2,200 extra deaths recorded by the UK Met Office between June 18 and 28. These figures are still preliminary and are likely to rise as new updates become available.