Greece heatwave 2024: 'Life-threatening' travel warning for popular destination as temperatures soar to 43C closing tourist hotspots and schools

UK holidaymakers who have holidays booked in the popular destination Greece have been issued a “life-threatening” travel warning as the temperatures have soared to as high as 43C. Schools and tourist hotspots have been forced to close due to the heatwave that is hitting the country. 

It’s being driven by southerly winds bringing hot air and dust from North Africa. The heatwave is so severe that there is a danger to life forcing the Acropolis, which welcomes four million visitors last year, to close from 9am to 2pm (GMT) on Wednesday (12 June). Primary schools and nurseries across the southern parts of the country are closed until Friday (14 June), while Red Cross medics have also been seen handing out water bottles to tourists. 

According to BirminghamLive, seven air conditioned spaces have been opened to the public. Meteorologists said that this is the earliest heatwave in recorded history. The state TV meteorologist Panos Giannopoulos said: “In the 20th century we never had a heatwave before 19 June. We have had several in the 21st century, but none before 15 June.”

The country's labour ministry advised that people who work outdoors work from home if they can during the heatwave. People have also been advised to take precautions when it comes to where they go, how often they go out, how they dress, what they eat and what activities they do during the hot weather.

The historic heatwave comes as the Greek island of Rhodes has been hit by a 4.9 magnitude earthquake on Wednesday (12 June). The Seismological Laboratory at the University of Athens and the United States Geological Survey confirmed the quake struck the popular tourist spot at about 8.20pm.

It is understood that the rupture did not cause any severe damage to buildings but would have been felt by people on the island. Earthquakes are not uncommon on the Greek island, with a powerful 5.9-magnitude earthquake hitting Rhodes in January 2023.