Greek island is cloaked by Saharan dust storm and hit by tornados with Easter holiday flights diverted and sky turning eerie red and orange

The Greek island of Crete was engulfed in a suffocating dust storm in the Sahara as high winds and a hurricane battered the area; Easter holiday flights from the UK have been forced to divert, turning the sky an eerie red-orange.

Travel chaos ensued as thick African dust obscured visibility, grounded planes and disrupted arrivals at Heraklion’s main airport.

At least two flights were forced to divert after visibility dropped to around 1,000 metres, deemed unsafe for landing.

A British Airways service from London was diverted to Corfu, while a SKY Express flight from Brussels was destined for Athens.

Air travel across the island remains under pressure as dense dust clouds continue to hang over Crete, causing delays and operational disruptions.

There were also dramatic scenes where a powerful hurricane overturned a truck preparing to load agricultural exports in the coastal area of ​​Pachia Ammos.

The severe weather also caused trees to be uprooted, greenhouses damaged and part of the wall of a ceramics factory collapsed.

In Ierapetra, huge waves crashed into the first houses in the old town as strong southerly winds triggered dangerous coastal conditions.

Boats in the Old Venetian harbor of Heraklion stand under an eerie red sky on the Greek island

Three people look on from a vantage point as red dust fills the sky

A woman walks her dog in the fog on the Greek island, a popular tourist destination

Severe weather uprooted trees, damaged greenhouses and caused part of the wall of a ceramics factory to collapse (two residents were photographed walking around central Heraklion on Wednesday)

A man takes photos of the surreal cityscape as drivers turn on their headlights to see through the dust

A deep haze painted the sky a dark orange and caused serious visibility problems

Locals have resorted to wearing COIVD-style face masks to protect themselves from smog

A woman takes photos of the horizon turning yellow, caused by sand dust from the Sahara due to strong southerly winds, in Heraklion, on the Greek island of Crete, on April 1.

A man protects himself with a face mask while walking through fog caused by sand dust from the Sahara due to strong southerly winds in Heraklion, Crete, Greece. April 1

Travel chaos ensues in Crete as thick African dust obstructs visibility, grounding planes and disrupting arrivals at Heraklion’s main airport

This photo shows the city of Ierapetra during a dust storm on the Greek island of Crete on April 1

At least two flights were forced to divert after visibility dropped to around 1,000 metres, deemed unsafe for landing.

A British Airways service from London was diverted to Corfu, while a SKY Express flight from Brussels was sent to Athens

This photo shows the port of Ierapetra during a dust storm on the Greek island of Crete

The landscape across Heraklion transformed into something reminiscent of the Sahara, with a thick curtain of dust almost completely obscuring the harbour.

The air has become stifling with extremely high concentrations of dust particles, making conditions particularly dangerous for vulnerable residents.

In Chania, visibility fell sharply across the city as light rain mixed with dust, creating a layer of mud that covered houses, cars and streets with mud.

According to regional monitoring stations, air quality measurements fell into the ‘very poor’ category; particle pollution far exceeded safe limits.

Meteorologists say dust levels have risen to over 1,000 micrograms per cubic metre, an exceptionally high concentration, and conditions are expected to ease slightly later in the day.

But forecasters have warned that another wave of Saharan dust could hit the island as early as Thursday.

Authorities have urged residents and tourists to avoid unnecessary travel, stay indoors as much as possible and exercise caution on the roads as extreme weather conditions continue to affect the island.