Greek authorities order work breaks as temperatures soar past 40C

Greece is facing a heatwave (Yorgos Karahalis/PA)

Authorities in Greece have imposed mandatory work breaks on Monday in parts of the country where temperatures are expected to exceed 40C, with the heatwave forecast to last until Thursday.

The Labour Ministry ordered the work stoppage, from midday to 5pm, for outdoor manual labour and food delivery services, primarily in central Greece and on several islands.

Employers were also asked to offer remote work options.

A tourist with an umbrella walks outside the Acropolis of Athens, Greece (Petros Giannakouris/AP)

No emergency measures were implemented in Athens, and the current hot spell — following sweltering temperatures across Europe — is not considered unusual.

Greek authorities say they are taking long-term steps to address the effects of climate change, including the deployment this summer of a record number of firefighters.