Italy hit by wildfires, heat and hail

ROME, July 25 (Xinhua) -- The southern Italian island of Sicily was ravaged by fires Tuesday. Meanwhile, storms and hail have battered the northern part of Italy.

The airport in the Sicilian capital of Palermo was closed to air traffic on Monday and early Tuesday, as smoke from a nearby blaze had limited visibility in the area. Officials said the airport reopened later on Tuesday, although the number of flights was severely reduced.