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Athens turns a vivid orange as dust shrouds the city, other parts of Greece: See photos

Saman Shafiq
USA TODAY

As clouds of dust blew in from the Sahara Desert this week, Athens and parts of southern Greece turned into a vivid shade of orange.

Video and pictures show the city and its popular landmarks covered in orange haze, presenting a scene that is almost apocalyptic. Officials said that the phenomenon was one of the worst of such episodes to hit Greece since 2018, BBC News reported, with the dust clouds heading as far north as Thessaloniki, about 315 miles from Athens.

“It’s the worst such case in years,” research director at the National Observatory of Athens Kostas Lagouvardos said, according to the New York Times.

Lagouvardos also compared the view from one weather station to planet Mars, reported BBC.

A man takes pictures as African dust from the desert of Sahara covers the city of Athens, Greece, April 23, 2024.

Residents of affected cities advised to stay indoors

While it might look pretty, the clouds of dust also worsened air quality in the affected cities. Greece's Ministry of Health advised the public to limit their time outdoors, avoid physical activity in the open and wear masks while stepping outside. People at increased risk, such as those with respiratory problems, heart patients and children were especially advised against going outdoors.

The dust was expected to clear Wednesday as winds shift and move the dust particles, and Thursday's weather report shows a clear day in Athens and no dust.

Tourists visit the Filipappou hill with the views of the Acropolis, as African dust from the desert of Sahara covers the city of Athens, Greece, April 23, 2024.

Why did Athens turn orange?

This is not the first time that Greece experienced a dust plume from the Sahara Desert. BBC News reported that dust plumes from the Sahara are common in Europe and vary in intensity.

The Sahara releases 60 to 200 million tons of mineral dust per year, according to BBC News. While most of the dust quickly settles down, some small particles can be carried by the wind and can travel huge distances, even reaching Europe.

A man makes his way at a hill as African dust from the desert of Sahara covers the city of Athens, Greece, April 23, 2024.

In the current situation, an area of low pressure over Libya prompted strong southerly winds which brought in high concentration of dust and sand from North Africa into Greece, especially on Tuesday, BBC said. The winds also brought hot desert air with them causing the temperatures to rise significantly across the Greek mainland and islands.

The strong southernly winds have also prompted early wildfires in the country's south. The Associated Press reported that 25 wildfires broke out across the country on Tuesday.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @saman_shafiq7.