(Adnkronos) – Strong winds are blowing in Greece today, hindering the movement of tens of thousands of tourists, including many foreigners, whose ferries have been forced to remain in the port of Athens. The risk of fires is also increasing. After an emergency meeting, the Civil Protection Ministry announced that wind gusts would reach 88 km/h, particularly in the southern Aegean Sea, which includes the Sea of Crete.
All ferry services from the ports of Athens have been cancelled, except for those serving the nearby islands of the Saronic Gulf, such as Hydra, Aegina, Poros and Spetses, the Coast Guard announced. Ferry services to the Cyclades, including the popular tourist islands of Mykonos and Paros, as well as to Crete, have been cancelled, preventing the movement of tens of thousands of tourists at the peak of the season.
The National Observatory of Athens also warned in a note that there is a “very high risk of forest fires due to the wind,” particularly in the eastern and southern parts of the country. Yesterday the mayor of Athens also closed the National Garden, after a tree fell on one of the capital’s busiest shopping streets, narrowly missing passers-by.
