Schools, Acropolis shut in Greece due to heatwave

The site of the ancient Acropolis to tourists was shut, schools were closed and medics were stationed in Greece as the country faces the first heatwave of the summer, reports Al Jazeera.

Temperatures were expected to hit 43 degrees Celsius (109.4 degrees Fahrenheit) on Wednesday and Thursday in parts of the Mediterranean country, driven by southerly winds bringing hot air and dust from North Africa.

The Acropolis hill, which includes the Parthenon temple and is one of the world’s most famous archaeological sites, was closed from noon to 5pm (09:00-14:00 GMT) on Wednesday, and Red Cross staff handed out bottles of water to tourists.

Many primary schools and nurseries across the country have been told to close for two days.

Greece is one of the European countries most affected by the climate crisis.

Last year, rising temperatures fuelled deadly wildfires, and erratic rains caused some of the worst flooding on record, both of which damaged crops and livelihoods.