The eerie images of the invasion of African dust in Greece are going around the world. All the major news networks broadcast footage of the unprecedentedly intense phenomenon.
Guardian
“Orange haze from Sahara dust engulfs Athens” is the headline of the Guardian. “Authorities in Greece warn that dust concentrations can reduce sunlight and visibility, while increasing levels of fine pollution particles pose health risks,” he notes.
Dust clouds blowing from the Sahara covered Athens and other Greek cities on Tuesday, one of the worst such episodes to hit the country since 2018, officials said. A yellow-orange haze smothered several areas after days of strong winds from the south, reducing visibility and prompting warnings from authorities about breathing hazards,” the British newspaper added.
“Greece was already hit by Saharan dust clouds in late March and early April, which also choked parts of Switzerland and southern France. The Sahara releases 60 to 200 million tons of mineral dust annually. While the larger particles quickly fall back to earth, the smaller ones can travel thousands of kilometers, potentially reaching across Europe.”
Daily Mail
“The monuments of Athens look more like scenes on Mars, since the dust of the Sahara desert turned the sky and the environment orange. Strong southerly winds from northern Africa painted southern Greece the unusual hue as the day progressed.
And world-famous tourist sites took on a unique look after the dust cloud swept across the capital. Landmarks such as the Acropolis, Lycabettus Hill, Temple of Apollo and Turkovunia Hill, as well as the bustling city center, were painted orange by the winds.”
“The sudden turn of the weather also caused temperatures to soar with the mercury reaching 30 degrees Celsius on the southern island of Crete – more than 20 degrees Celsius higher than most of northern Greece. Strong winds have also fueled unseasonal wildfires in the south of the country.
The fire service announced that 25 fires had broken out across the country in the past 24 hours. Greece suffers devastating, and often deadly, forest fires every summer, and last year the country recorded the European Union’s biggest wildfire in more than two decades. The persistent drought, combined with high spring temperatures, have raised fears of a particularly difficult time for firefighters in the coming months.”
CNN
“A yellow-orange dust haze from the Sahara desert has blanketed parts of Greece, prompting authorities to issue health warnings and create spectacular dreamlike scenes.
The Greek Meteorological Service reported that the weather conditions on Tuesday favored the movement of dust from Africa and this can be seen in increased concentrations in the atmosphere, particularly in the southern part of the country. However, the dust will begin to gradually taper off Wednesday morning, the agency predicted, and by midday it will be “confined to the east.
