Tamil Nadu doctor on Italy trip with family says Europe feels hotter than India: 'At least in India we have ACs'

A record-breaking heatwave across Europe is leaving residents and tourists struggling with soaring temperatures, disrupted daily life and growing health concerns. Among those caught in the extreme weather was a family from Tamil Nadu, whose experience in Italy has sparked attention after they said the heat felt even more difficult than what they had recently faced in India.

According to AFP, Arockia Rajasekhar, a 51-year-old radiologist from Tamil Nadu, travelled to Europe with his wife and two teenage children for a two-week holiday. Although temperatures in Rome were lower than those they had left behind in India, he said the overall experience was far less comfortable.

'At least in India we have ACs'

Sharing his experience, Rajasekhar said, "It's worse than in India." He explained that while temperatures in India had reached "42-45 degrees" before the family left, the widespread availability of air conditioning made the heat easier to manage.


"It was 42-45 degrees in India when we left but everywhere there is AC," he said.

The family's holiday has also changed how they plan future trips to Europe. "We'll probably come here in the shoulder seasons (spring or autumn), like tourists coming to India," Rajasekhar added, suggesting they would avoid travelling during peak summer.

The ongoing heatwave has affected large parts of Europe, with several countries recording temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius. In Italy, authorities placed around 25 cities, including Rome, Milan, Florence, Venice, Naples and Turin, under red heatwave alerts as officials urged people to stay hydrated and avoid unnecessary exposure during the hottest hours of the day.

Why Europe's heat feels different

The ongoing heatwave has highlighted a challenge Europe increasingly faces. Experts say much of the continent's homes and public infrastructure were designed to retain heat during long winters rather than stay cool in extreme summers. As a result, many buildings and public spaces lack widespread cooling systems, making prolonged heat more difficult to manage despite temperatures that may sometimes be lower than those experienced in countries like India.

Climate experts and the World Health Organization have also warned that Europe is warming faster than the global average, with heatwaves becoming more frequent, longer-lasting and more intense, increasing health risks across the continent.