Athens looks more like Mars after Sahara Desert dust turns sky orange

• Winds from north Africa also caused wildfires after temperatures soared 

Dust from the Sahara Desert turned Athens orange yesterday as clouds blown across the Mediterranean Sea caused the city’s famous landmarks to look more like scenes from Mars.

Strong southerly winds coming from north Africa painted southern Greece in the unusual hue as the day wore on.

And world-famous tourist sites took on a unique appearance after the dust cloud swept across the capital.

Landmarks, including the Acropolis, Lycabettus Hill, the Temple of Apollo and Tourkovounia Hill, as well as the buzzing city centre, were painted orange by the winds.

A couple pictured sitting on the hill looking out at a Mars-like Athens after southerly winds painted the city in an unusual hue

The city of Athens seen from Tourkovounia hill after it turned orange thanks to Sahara Desert dust

The Temple of Apollo in Corinth, Greece, looking orange after dust flew into the southern coast

Martian-like skies pictured over the archaeological site of Acrocorinth in Corinth, Greece yesterday

The Acropolis Hill seen in a different colour yesterday

The Martian-like filter will be short-lived, however, with skies expected to clear by Wednesday as winds shift.

The sudden weather development also caused temperatures to soar with the mercury hitting 30C (86F) on the southern island of Crete – more than 20C (68F) higher than most of northern Greece.

The strong winds have also fanned unseasonal wildfires in the south of the country.

On Tuesday evening, the fire service said that 25 wildfires had broken out across the country in the past 24 hours.

Three people were arrested on the Aegean Sea resort island of Paros on suspicion of accidentally starting a scrub blaze on Monday, the service added.

No significant damage or injuries were reported and the fire was quickly contained.

Another blaze that broke out on Crete near a naval base was brought under control on Tuesday.

World-famous tourist sites took on a unique appearance after the dust cloud swept across the capital (pictured, from above)

The Martian-like filter will be short-lived, however, with skies expected to clear by Wednesday as winds shift (pictured: the Temple of Apollo yesterday)

People across the city took in the spectacular views which were painted a different hue yesterday

A couple pictured sitting on Tourkovounia hill, as southerly winds carried waves of Saharan dust. The Martian-like filter will be short-lived, however, with skies expected to clear by Wednesday as winds shift

The sudden weather development also caused temperatures to soar with the mercury hitting 30C (86F) on the southern island of Crete – more than 20C (68F) higher than most of northern Greece (pictured: people looking up at the orange skies in Athens yesterday)

Greece suffers devastating, and often deadly, forest blazes every summer, and last year the country recorded the European Union’s largest wildfire in more than two decades.

Persistent drought, combined with high spring temperatures, has raised fears of a particularly challenging period for firefighters in the coming months.

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