Italy storms: North hit by hail and rain as Sicily burns
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Torrential rain and hailstorms hit northern regions while wildfires "encircle" Sicily's Palermo.

Sicily - which has already been brought to its knees by a prolonged heatwave - is battling wildfires that are threatening towns and cities across the island. Temperatures of more than 47.5C (117F) were recorded in Catania on Monday.

Several resorts and tourist hotspots around the island have begun evacuating their guests.

Palermo Airport was temporarily closed to air traffic on Tuesday morning after wildfires in the hills around it reached the airport perimeter.

The fires are causing deaths across southern Italy. Local media reported that two bodies were found charred in a house near Palermo airport.

In Sicily, an 88-year-old woman died after falling ill, as the fires prevented emergency services reaching her.

A 98-year-old man in the region of Calabria died when the flames from a wildfire reached his home where he was bedbound.

In Sardinia, a firefighter died of a stroke after spending hours battling a blaze.

A firefighter was seriously injured near Palermo while trying to tackle one of the blazes, which are being fuelled by high winds, local media reported.

More than 200 people in Palermo have already sought medical attention for smoke inhalation. Two hospitals have suspended routine appointments to ensure people suffering from smoke inhalation or other illnesses related to the extreme heat can be looked after.

Half of the bus network in Palermo has been suspended as the vehicles are overheating and cannot cool down because of consistently high temperatures.

Hospital Cervello, in the north of the city, is being threatened by the flames, while some wards have been evacuated, Italian media said.

The farmers’ association, Coldiretti, said Sicily was facing an “unprecedented catastrophe and incalculable environmental damage”.

The minister for civil protection, Nello Musumeci, wrote on Facebook: “This is one of the hardest days in Italy’s history for 10 years. Climate change has hit our nation and demands that we all change our ways. There are no excuses.” “We knew that today would be the hardest day,” Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told Italian radio RTL 102.5. “We have a situation where very high temperatures are combined with wind, which makes using Canadair [firefighting aircraft] impossible.”

“We are following the situation, which is very delicate, minute by minute.”.