Heatwaves and extreme weather have gripped most parts of the world including Europe, the US and Asia. Temperatures were expected to reach record highs in Italy today with the United Nations's World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warning of an increased risk of deaths.
 
The Mediterranean island of Sardinia in Italy could see highs of more than 47 degrees Celsius and forecasters said temperatures could hit 40 degrees in several Italian cities.
 
Heatwaves this summer, which saw temperatures climb to 53 degrees in California's Death Valley and over 52 degrees in China's northwest, have coincided with wildfires from Greece to the Swiss Alps and deadly flooding in South Korea.
 
With baking temperatures hitting Europe during the peak summer tourist season, the WMO warned that the world needs to prepare for increasingly intense heat waves. It said, the heatwave in the northern hemisphere was set to intensify over the coming days and warned of an increased risk to health.
 
The WMO said, temperatures in North America, Asia, and across North Africa and the Mediterranean will be above 40 degrees Celsius for a prolonged number of days this week as the heatwave intensifies. Overnight minimum temperatures were also expected to reach new highs, creating the risk of increased cases of heart attacks and deaths.