Stunning pictures of Greece turning orange from a Sahara sandstorm

The skies over southern Greece on Tuesday, April 23, took on a surreal orange tint as dust clouds swept across the Mediterranean Sea from North Africa. The phenomenon blanketed the Acropolis and other iconic landmarks in Athens, casting an otherworldly glow over the cityscape. (Image: Reuters)

Powerful southerly winds transported dust from the Sahara Desert, imparting a Martian-esque hue to the atmosphere of the Greek capital during the final hours of daylight. The authorities issued warnings about breathing risks due to the yellow-orange haze, which severely limited visibility. (Image: AP)

According to officials, it is one of the worst episodes of sandstorm to hit the country since 2018. “It’s one of the most serious episodes of dust and sand concentrations from the Sahara since March 21-22, 2018, when the clouds invaded the island of Crete in particular,” The Guardian quoted Kostas Lagouvardos, weather research director at the Athens Observatory. (Image: AP)

The skies were predicted to clear on Wednesday April 24 as winds change direction and disperse the dust, accompanied by a drop in temperatures, the Associated Press reported. On Tuesday, parts of the southern island of Crete experienced a daily high surpassing 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit), contrasting sharply with temperatures recorded in much of northern Greece, which were more than 20 degrees Celsius cooler. (Image: AP)

In recent days, the persistent strong southerly winds have also exacerbated the emergence of unseasonal wildfires in the southern regions of the country. (Image: Reuters)

The fire service said on Tuesday evening that a total 25 wildfires broke out across the country in the past 24 hours. Three people were arrested on the Aegean Sea resort island of Paros on suspicion of accidentally starting a scrub blaze on Monday, the AP quoted official. No significant damage or injuries were reported, and the fire was quickly contained. Another blaze that broke out on Crete near a naval base was brought under control Tuesday. (Image: AP)

Greece suffers devastating, and often deadly, forest blazes every summer, and last year the country recorded the European Union’s largest wildfire in more than two decades. Persistent drought combined with high spring temperatures has raised fears of a particularly challenging period for firefighters in the coming months. (Image: AP)