Greece shut the ancient Acropolis tourist site, suspended schools and stationed medics across Athens on Wednesday as it faced the first heatwave of the summer. Many primary schools and nurseries across the country will shut for two days. 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. In Greece, fires began earlier than expected this year, including one in March. After last year's destructive wildfires, including on the island of Rhodes which prompted the biggest evacuation in peace time, Greece has scaled up its preparations by hiring more staff and stepping up training.

Source: The North Africa Journal June 12, 2024 14:21 UTC