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The famous Acropolis, set on a rocky hill overlooking the
capital, and other nearby tourist attractions were closed on
Thursday afternoon as winds from North Africa pushed
temperatures towards 43 degrees Celsius (109 degrees
Fahrenheit).
Many primary schools and nurseries across the country were
closed to protect students from the heat, which was expected to
recede on Saturday.
In Athens, tourists stopped at drinking fountains to cool their
heads and necks. Locals sat in air conditioned rooms set up by
the city, using hand held fans to create a breeze.
Firefighters who put out several wildfires on Wednesday remained
on high alert as strong winds were expected to hit several parts
of the country.
Greece is one of the most hard-hit countries by global warming
in Europe, with rising temperatures fuelling deadly fires and
erratic rains in recent years.
Athens, a city of five million people which sits in a coastal
bowl jammed with apartment blocks and flanked by mountains, is
one of the hottest cities in Europe.
Scientists warn that summer temperatures there could rise by an
average of 2 degrees by 2050. Athens mayor Haris Doukas has
tried to create more shade by planting 2000 trees.
“Our first goal shall be to lower the median temperature, the
felt-air temperature," he told Reuters. "There are areas where
the temperature is 15 or 20 times higher on cement or a city
road, compared to a shady area."
(Reporting by Angeliki Koutantou and Louiza Vradi; Editing by
Edward McAllister and Christina Fincher)
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