Clémentine Athanasiadis, edited by Yanis Darras // Photo credit: Angelos TZORTZINIS / AFP
Greece is suffocating. For the past few days, the country has been affected by a major heat wave, like all of southern Europe. Faced with the situation, the authorities had to close certain tourist sites during the hottest hours of the day. The threat of fires is also growing a little more every day.
Stifling heat in Spain, blazing sun in Italy and a soaring thermometer in Greece: Europe is experiencing a major heat wave. In the middle of the tourist season in this Mediterranean country, this weekend, temperatures for example exceeded 44 degrees Celsius in the south of Crete.
In Athens, the capital, the authorities have decided to temporarily close the Acropolis during the hottest hours of the day in order to protect visitors and employees. This measure concerning the most visited ancient site in Greece was renewed on Sunday for the third consecutive day. But according to forecasts from the national meteorological service, temperatures will drop slightly until Wednesday, especially in the east and north of the country, thanks to winds that will reach the Aegean Sea.
Dreaded fires
A short respite because from Thursday, a new heat wave will cover Greece. In addition, the Peloponnese, Crete and the Cyclades islands are placed on high alert in the face of the very high risk of fires.
Citizens are asked to be careful even though two years later, the country remains marked by the fires which ravaged part of the island of Euboea.