Farm labourer dies in the fields near Mantua; heat-related illness suspected

A 55-year-old farm labourer, Haddad Taher, a Moroccan national, died yesterday afternoon in Borgocarbonara, in the Mantua area, whilst harvesting watermelons in the fields of a farm in Magnacavallo. One of the theories being investigated is that he suffered a sudden illness linked to the high temperatures. The man suddenly collapsed to the ground whilst working. His colleagues, who were in the fields, raised the alarm by calling 118. A Soccorso Azzurro ambulance and a helicopter air ambulance from Parma attended the scene, but attempts to resuscitate him were in vain. Investigations are currently being carried out by the Carabinieri from the Gonzaga station and by technicians from the occupational health and safety department of ATS Val Padana, who have been called in to reconstruct the exact sequence of events.

Meanwhile, the heatwave that has swept across Europe is moving eastwards. Temperatures in Budapest are expected to exceed 40°C today, according to the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. Yesterday, parts of central, eastern and southern Europe were hit by a scorching heatwave, as the ‘heat dome’ responsible for last week’s record temperatures moved eastwards, bringing dangerous conditions to a new area of the continent.

Belgrade and Bucharest reached 38°C and 37°C respectively. Slovakia set a new temperature record, reaching 40.5°C in a town on its southern border, surpassing the previous record of 40.3°C set in 2007. “The two toughest days of the heatwave are upon us. Let us show that we are capable of complete national unity. Let’s look after one another,” wrote Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar on X on Monday. The Hungarian authorities have published a list of over 2,000 air-conditioned centres across the country for people who cannot find relief from the heat in their own homes. A red alert for extreme heat has been issued in Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Slovakia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the authorities urging the public to stay indoors during the hottest hours of the day.

On Sunday, Germany recorded its highest temperature for the third day running, with preliminary figures from the DWD meteorological service showing 41.7°C in Coschen, Brandenburg. The extreme heat caused disruption to transport in several cities due to tram tracks buckling, whilst the Berlin police used water cannons to cool down crowds gathered in public spaces. In Croatia, the meteorological service issued a red alert yesterday for regions including the capital, Zagreb, and the tourist resorts of Split and Dubrovnik. Dozens of firefighters, supported by four aircraft, battled a blaze that was ravaging the pine forests on the tourist island of Vis, in the Adriatic Sea, some 55 km south-west of Split.