Summary
In August 2021, Floridia recorded a temperature of 48.8 C
Hotter summers are leaving streets and piazzas deserted
Residents compare the extreme heat to a new form of lockdown
Scientists warn of rising average temperature, tropical nights
Beekeepers say extreme heat is wiping out colonies
FLORIDIA, Sicily, Aug 21 (Reuters) – Five years after Floridia registered Europe’s highest-ever temperature, residents say extreme heat is no longer measured by records but by its impact on daily life, keeping people indoors, reducing social interaction and threatening livelihoods.
The August 2021 record of 48.8 degrees Celsius (119.8 degrees Fahrenheit) turned the Sicilian town into a symbol of Europe’s warming climate as the continent emerged from COVID-19 restrictions.