Italy faces first heatwave of the year on Thursday.

The Italian health ministry has issued an 'orange alert' warning for 14 cities on Thursday 22 June, as the country's first heatwave of the year is set to see temperatures tip 40°C.

The cities included in the level-two heat warning on Thursday are Ancona, Bologna, Bolzano, Brescia, Campobasso, Florence, Frosinone, Latina, Perugia, Pescara, Rieti, Rome, Trieste and Verona.

The 'bollino arancione' indicates weather conditions that pose risks of negative effects on the elderly, sick or very young.

Allerta per le ondate di calore: previsto per domani giovedì 22 giugno il livello 2
Attiva H24 la Sala Operativa della Protezione Civile di Roma Capitale al numero verde 800854854
Info https://t.co/R5QLdJWIRc
Come proteggersi https://t.co/KMvLZ8C2yn pic.twitter.com/AVDJ5SZDub

— Roma (@Roma) June 21, 2023

The health ministry recommends avoiding exposure to the sun and outdoor activity in the middle of the day, as well as advising people to drink plenty of water, eat lightly and preserve their medication properly.

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Small children and pets should never be left in cars, even for a a short time, and people should check on elderly neighbours living alone. Dogs should be walked early in the morning or at night and given lots of water to drink.

For details see health ministry website. Photo credit: Vereshchagin Dmitry / Shutterstock.com.