60 degrees in the sun!

Life-threatening temperatures in Greece

Red Cross staff hand out water bottles to tourists on the Acropolis site.(Bild: AFP or licensors)

A heatwave that has lasted since the beginning of July reached a new high on Thursday in large parts of Greece. Meteorologists are warning that temperatures in the sun could rise to more than 60 degrees - which could be deadly, according to fears.

Warm air masses have been coming from North Africa for weeks and are causing problems for people in large parts of south-eastern Europe. Even at night, the thermometers in most regions show temperatures of over 30 degrees.

Red Cross staff hand out water bottles to tourists on the Acropolis site.(Bild: AFP or licensors)

Because local temperatures are expected to exceed 43 degrees, all archaeological sites in Greece will now be closed between 12 noon and 5 p.m. local time, the Ministry of Culture announced. The sites affected include Athens' landmark, the Acropolis, and the ancient site of Olympia.

Vacationers leave the Acropolis hill in Athens.(Bild: APA/AFP/Aris Oikonomou)

High fire risk
The Civil Defense warned of a high fire risk in most regions of central and southern Greece. The smallest fire could turn into a major blaze due to the drought and the strong winds currently blowing around the Aegean, a fire department spokesman expressed concern.

The situation is slightly better on Crete and the Aegean islands. According to the weather office, the sea breeze is helping to cool the temperatures there to around 35 degrees.

Major work restrictions
The Ministry of Labor ordered all delivery services to be suspended during the hot afternoon hours (12 to 5 pm). Work in the construction sector was also halted at midday for the next five hours. According to the Ministry of Labor, those who can are allowed to work from home.

Meteorologists cannot say exactly when this constant heat will end. "Maybe at the end of next week," they agree.