STORY: :: Greece shuts the Acropolis and suspends schools
as the country faces its first summer heatwave
:: June 12, 2024
:: Athens, Greece
:: Melanie Peltz, Tourist
“The sun is atrocious today. It is a very hot day, but we’re hydrating and we’re trying to keep positive about the once-in-a-lifetime experience of being in Athens and experiencing the Acropolis. So, it’s been extraordinary and hot and we fan and we drink water and we’re ok.”
:: Dimitra Tsekoura, Hellenic Red Cross
“In these extremely high temperatures, people suffer mainly from heat stroke symptoms such as dizziness, nausea and faintness.”
Temperatures were expected to hit 109 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius) 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, home to one of the world’s most famous archaeological sites that includes the Parthenon temple, was closed from noon to 5 p.m. (0900-1400 GMT) and Red Cross staff handed out bottles of water to tourists.
Many primary schools and nurseries across the country will shut for two days.
Source Agencies
