Crete was covered by a Saharan dust storm, creating a red sky. Authorities are issuing warnings for difficult weather conditions.

The sky above the Greek island of Crete took on marine hues on Wednesday, due to a large-scale dust storm known as 'haboob', which moved from Libya across the Mediterranean Sea. This storm brought Saharan dust, covering the island and creating an orange and red sky, described by eyewitnesses as 'apocalyptic'. Satellite images highlighted the dust with yellow hues, but on the ground, the visual effect was dramatic. The dust storm began to affect regions in Algeria and Mauritania before reaching Greece, where it blocked most ferries and led to the diversion of flights to Heraklion. The national meteorological service EMY warned of difficult weather conditions, including heavy rain and intense storms, expected until Friday. Authorities in Athens issued warnings for heavy rainfall and strong winds, thus affecting the entire country.