Storm Erminio Pounds Greece: Crete's Skies Turn Apocalyptic Red

Crete was enveloped in thick Saharan dust that turned the skies red-orange.

Storm Erminio brought heavy rain, gale-force winds, and flooding throughout Greece.

3BMeteo

Heraklion Airport was effectively shut down as flights were diverted.

Residents wore face masks to protect against the suffocating dust.

A man was swept away by floodwaters near Athens and found trapped under a car.

The storm forced school closures and knocked down a bridge on Poros.

Air Journal

The fire department received 674 calls for assistance.

A red weather warning was in place in Crete.

Ferries were moored and traffic gridlock affected Athens.

Emergency crews were inundated with calls on Rhodes and Kos.

The Canary Islands faced flight cancellations due to the same dust storm.

Aegean and Olympic Air grounded multiple island routes.

Storm Erminio was one of the most violent meteorological episodes in decades.

The system impacted Italy, Greece, and North Africa simultaneously.

BBC

Historic early-April snowfall hit the Italian Apennines.

Cold polar air brought plummeting temperatures to Algeria and Tunisia.