Greece: Orange Sahara Dust Blankets Athens
An orange haze has covered Athens as clouds of dust blows in from the Sahara desert.
Officials report that it is one of the worst of such episodes to hit Greece since 2018.
Recall that Greece had already been struck by similar clouds in late March and early April, which also affected parts of Switzerland and Southern France.
There are predictions that the clouds will clear on today, says Greece's weather service.
As at this morning, air quality has deteriorated in many areas of the country and on Wednesday morning the Acropolis in Athens was no longer visible because of the dust. The cloud has reached as far north as Thessaloniki.
Greeks with respiratory conditions have been urged to limit the time they spend outdoors, wear protective masks and avoid taking physical exercise until the dust clouds clear.
The Sahara releases 60 to 200 million tonnes of mineral dust per year.
Most of the dust settles quickly on Earth, but small particles can travel long distances, occasionally reaching Europe. The atmosphere, particularly in southern Greece, has become oppressive due to the mix of dust and high temperatures. Meteorologist Kostas Lagouvardos likened the scene from a weather station to that of Mars.
The fire service reported 25 wildfires in the last 24 hours. One fire erupted near a naval base on Crete, where temperatures surpassed 30°C (86°F), leading to evacuations of homes and a kindergarten, according to local sources.
