A dense wave of Sahara dust has swept across Santorini and many other parts of Greece on Wednesday, turning the sky eerily red and disrupting air traffic.
The effect on the cosmopolitan Greek island was so intense that the world-famous white-domed churches and caldera views of Santorini looked like a scene from a sci-fi film set on Mars.
While the visual is breathtaking, it was part of a very severe weather system. The same winds that carried the dust also brought gale-force gusts and “mud-rain” (when rain mixes with the suspended dust), making the atmosphere feel suffocatingly heavy.
For locals and travelers alike, it was a day where the “apocalyptic” beauty of the landscape came with a firm reminder from authorities to stay indoors and protect their lungs from the high particle levels.
Saharan dust hits Crete
Saharan dust also filled the sky above Crete, significantly reducing visibility.
Three inbound international flights scheduled to land at Iraklio’s Nikos Kazantzakis Airport on Wednesday were diverted to alternative destinations, touching down at the airports of Chania, Athens, and Corfu.
One of the affected flights, originally scheduled to travel from Manchester to Rhodes, encountered poor visibility due to dust across the wider region. After being rerouted toward Iraklio, the aircraft was ultimately forced to land at Chania.
The dusty conditions have been intensified by Storm Erminio, a powerful system bringing heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and strong winds across Greece. Health experts are advising caution, particularly for vulnerable groups, as elevated levels of airborne particles may pose respiratory risks.
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