[1/3] A man called David checks his phone as he stands near a fan to cool off, during a heatwave across Italy, in Rome, July 14, 2023. A heat wave has hit southern Europe during the peak summer tourist season, breaking records - including in Rome - and bringing warnings about an increased risk of deaths. Spain is expected to endure higher-than-average temperatures this summer, with two heatwaves already baking the country in June and July. Amazon Business, where companies can order supplies, saw more than a 20% increase in portable air-conditioning unit sales across Spain, Italy, and France this month compared to July last year. Smaller devices, like hand-held fans and fans worn around the neck, were also selling in their thousands.

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Persons: David, Guglielmo Mangiapane, Angela Lonardo, Leroy Merlin, Elisa Anzolin, Corina Rodriguez, Helen Reid, Sharon Singleton Organizations: REUTERS, El, El Corte Inglés, Amazon Spain, Amazon, Thomson Locations: Italy, Rome, MADRID, MILAN, Southern Europe, Europe, United States, El Corte, Madrid, Spain, Seville, Sensibo, France, Corte, Milan, London