Greece orders extra fire patrols amid heatwave as temperatures set to reach 42C

A youth jumps in the sea at a beach of Kavouri suburb, south-west of Athens (Yorgos Karahalis/AP)

Greek authorities have ordered additional fire patrols and infrastructure maintenance inspections as the country grapples with a heatwave fed by hot air from Africa that is expected to last more than a week.

The emergency measures will also include efforts to create more air-conditioned areas open to the public in cities around Greece and at refugee camps, though the efforts are complicated by Covid-19 pandemic-related limits on how many people can gather together.