Greece’s Ministry of Culture has ordered the closure of the famous Acropolis in Athens for several hours during the hottest part of the day due to the country’s ongoing heatwave. Meteorologists have predicted that hot air from Africa will continue to bake Greece for several more days, at least until Sunday. The peak of the heatwave is expected on Wednesday and Thursday, with temperatures reaching up to 43 degrees Celsius (109 degrees Fahrenheit).
The authorities have closed the Acropolis, the country’s most popular ancient site, from noon to 5 pm. Meanwhile, Greek municipalities have opened up air-conditioned indoor spaces to the public. People are also being urged to avoid exposure to the sun during the hottest hours of the day and to drink plenty of water.
Tourists who had hoped to visit the Parthenon temple on top of the Acropolis were left standing in line from early morning on Wednesday. The Red Cross was handing out chilled bottled water and information leaflets to those waiting in line.
The extreme heat is affecting countries all over the planet. According to the European Union’s Copernicus climate service, each of the past 13 months has been the hottest on record. Over the past 12 months, the average temperature has been at least 1.5 degrees higher than the average pre-industrial temperature of 1850-1900.
The early summer heat is reportedly part of a warming trend that is putting lives at risk worldwide.
