The city of Heraklion on the island of Crete is engulfed by exceptionally high levels of African dust, creating an unusual and concerning situation for residents and authorities.
According to measurements published by the National Observatory of Athens via the Meteo.gr platform, the concentration of suspended particles in the air has reached up to 1000 micrograms per cubic meter – extremely high levels that directly impact air quality.
Visibility in the city has significantly decreased. The control tower at "Nikos Kazantzakis" Airport reports that visibility has dropped to just 600 meters, down from about 10 kilometers under normal conditions. The weather conditions have caused serious problems for air traffic. According to local media, only takeoffs are currently being conducted, while scheduled flights for landing in Heraklion have been diverted to other airports on the island.
The phenomenon is expected to last until Thursday, April 2nd, while meteorologists warn of a new wave of dust that will again affect the region. Authorities are urging citizens, especially sensitive groups, to take precautions due to the high air pollution.
Footage captured by drones shows the scale of the phenomenon, with the city covered in a dark orange hue, giving the area an "otherworldly" appearance, similar to landscapes in Africa or even the planet Mars. According to meteorologist Kostas Lagouvardos from the National Observatory of Athens, very high particle levels have also been recorded in Rethymno, where values have approached 1000 micrograms per cubic meter of air. Meanwhile, a similar situation has been reported on the island of Santorini, where the sky over the Oia area has turned a deep red due to the high concentration of dust in the atmosphere.