Twenty-three of Italy’s 27 main cities expected to be under red alerts as searing temperatures continue; wildfires north and west of Athens force residents to flee

Italian hospitals report sharp rise in emergency cases as Rome hits 41.8C

This is the Guardian’s live coverage of the dangerous heatwaves and other extreme weather impacting people around the world, with me, Helen Sullivan.

Our top stories this morning: In Italy, the health ministry issued red weather alerts for 20 of the country’s 27 main cities on Tuesday, with the number expected to rise to 23 on Wednesday.