On Wednesday, there was a very unusual atmosphere in Crete: the sky turned shades of ochre and blood red, and visibility was severely reduced. This was caused by a dust storm that swept across the island.

The southerly wind had previously stirred up large quantities of sand and dust in the Libyan Desert and carried them across the Mediterranean. As well as Crete, other Greek islands were also affected by the dust.

The storm was triggered by the powerful Mediterranean low-pressure system Erminio. It brought torrential rain elsewhere, including in the capital, Athens. Fire services were called out to deal with fallen trees and damaged power lines. Numerous ferries and flights were canceled.