Eerie images show Athens engulfed in orange haze as Saharan desert dust cloud descends

24 April 2024, 12:32

Athens residents were engulfed in eerie scenes reminiscent of the Hollywood blockbuster Dune as dust from the Sahara descended on the city.

A striking orange haze descended on Athens as clouds of dust billowed in from the nearby Sahara desert after days of strong winds.

Greece experienced similar clouds in late April and late March, with the dust also covering parts of southern France and Switzerland - but this episode is now the worst the country has experienced since 2018, officials have said.

This morning the Acropolis in Athens could not been seen due to the dust, and the cloud has spread as far north as Thessaloniki.

Greece's weather service has said skies will begin to clear today, but the air quality has worsened in the country. Those with respiratory conditions have been told to reduce the amount of time they spend outdoors, use protective masks and not to exercise until the dust cloud dissipates.

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The Sahara desert releases 60 to 200 million tonnes of mineral dust per year, with the majority descending quickly to Earth. However, some particles travel enormous distances and can reach Europe.

Due to the amount of dust and high temperatures, the atmosphere in southern Greece has become stifling. The strong winds have also led to unseasonal early wildfires in the south of the country.

On Tuesday evening the fire service said there had been 25 wildfires across the country in the past 24 hours.