Not fog!
A thick dust cloud from Syria has settled over parts of Cyprus and is expected to last another day or so.
According to the department of labour inspection (DIL), the average hourly concentration of dust particles in the Nicosia district on Monday was almost ten times the normal (547 μg/m³ whereas the maximum acceptable concentration is 50 μg/m³).
DIL official Christos Yiannaki told CyBC news that the concentration of dust particles even reached 3000 μg/m³ at around 6pm.
Yiannaki said that the phenomenon was sudden and caught everyone by surprise. “At around 6pm our instrument started showing increased amounts of dust in the atmosphere. There was no warning,” he said.
Department of Metereology official Stavros Vasiliadis said that the dust will linger for at least the next 12 hours.
“Things will get better after that. The dust will settle, starting tomorrow afternoon,” he said.
The unusual weather started at around 2.30pm on the east coast and gradually moved inland over the capital.
Visibility in some areas is low and drivers are advised to be extra careful.
Groups with respiratory problems are advised to stay indoors.
The dust is all kicked up by the people running to get on the boats.
It probably is!
Meanwhile all Larnaka flights have been diverted to Pafos over my house!
Pafos airport must be mental at the moment!