The situation of the crisis in Italy: – – It is very unpleasant

– Now 34 degrees. It’s not uncommon for these temperatures to be in this area, but the unusual thing is that on Monday we had a heat record of 37 degrees in the shade. Then a red warning was sent. The high temperatures persisted for several days.

Tonje Lissandrin (46) told Dagbladet on Wednesday. She lived in Italy for several years, but she has not experienced such high temperatures as now.

The country has been in the past few days affected by the intense heat, and warnings were issued in several cities.

The area where Lysandrine lives is called Colli Euganei, a volcanic wine region about half an hour from Venice.

– We live in a holiday paradise, but it’s hot here now. Perhaps the worst thing is the humidity. It is very unpleasant, and heat is dangerous for those under the age of three and adults over the age of sixty. It affects us a lot in everyday life. She says, we almost don’t dare to go out.

Tourist error

Due to the unbearable heat, Lissandrin states that they must follow the recommendations from the region.

– We were told to drink plenty of water and not exercise outdoors. It is also advised not to drink coffee or alcohol throughout the day, she says.

– Chaos

According to Lissandrin, most locals manage to follow the recommendations. On the other hand, it is the tourists who put themselves at greater risk.

– There are almost only tourists who are out on the streets now. Around lunchtime, they all sit in restaurants and drink Prosecco. She says the Italians know you have to stay indoors in the middle of the day.

Announcement of a state of crisis

On Monday, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi declared a state of emergency and announced a massive crisis package in response to the severe drought that hit parts of the country, he said. Watchman.

The crisis package of 36.5 million euros, roughly 370 million Norwegian kroner, was approved Monday evening at a cabinet meeting.

The northern part of Italy has been hit hard, and the large lakes, including Lake Garda, contain much less water than is usual at this time of year.

– stay inside!

The country’s longest river, the Po, is at its lowest level in more than 70 years in some places along its course. The river is very important for the irrigation of paddy fields, fields and pastures for cows. According to the authorities, the lack of water for livestock could threaten the production of Parmesan cheese made from milk.

A state of crisis has been declared in the regions of Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lombardy, Piedmont and Veneto. In some towns and villages in northern Italy, such as the Verona region of Veneto, the authorities have imposed restrictions and asked residents to provide water.

Drought is the result of a system of high atmospheric pressure driven by climate change, especially in the past 100 years, according to research published in the American Journal. natural earth sciences Monday.

Absolutely necessary

Lissandrin works as a clerk, so most of her work days she sits with an air conditioner on. However, she is more interested in the farmers of the area, and those who work all day at the market in the city.

Therefore, she believes it is good and “absolutely necessary” for the government to put in place a crisis package to deal with the drought.

The warmest in over 20 years

There is a large production of food and wine in the region, where risotto rice is grown, among other things. It needs a lot of water to grow, and this is an important part of the food traditions here. It is important to be self-sufficient, and as much as you can protect short-term food, you should do so. Also regarding food shortages as a result of the war in Ukraine. She says it is very worrying.

On top of that, she adds, it’s been a record hot year so far. In the winter of 2022, the highest temperatures ever were recorded for that time of year.

In addition, there is also a rise in electricity prices in the country, which means that the most vulnerable people save electricity.

Older adults are especially reluctant to turn on air conditioners, says Lysandrine.