'Medicane': Greece braces amid fears Mediterranean hurricane to slam into tourist islands

Severe weather warnings issued as ferries held in ports and schools ordered to remain shut

Greece is bracing for the threat of a hurricane after gale-force winds of up to 62mph slammed into the country from the west.

Meteorologists have warned there is a high probability a Mediterranean cyclone known as a medicane – a combination of the words Mediterranean and hurricane – could form on Friday in the Ionian Sea southwest of the Greek mainland.

Severe weather warnings have been issued through to Sunday, with the storm expected to gradually move eastwards.

The gale-force winds forced ferries to remain in port on Thursday, severing connections between Greek islands and the mainland.

Temperatures plunged by up to 10C and strong winds also toppled trees onto power lines in the northern suburbs of Athens, with the fire department saying it had received more than 500 calls to remove debris.

Authorities in the Saronic municipality near Athens, on the Ionian island of Zakynthos and the Aegean islands of Tinos, Andros and Mykonos ordered schools to remain shut.

Schools in greater Athens will also be closed Friday.

On the western island of Kefallonia, several villages were evacuated as wildfire was being fanned by the strong winds. The island’s emergency services were on alert as weather conditions were expected to worsen.

The Athens area has recently been hit by deadly fires and flash floods.

In 2017, 24 people were killed and scores left homeless after a rain-swollen torrent inundated two coastal towns west of the capital.

Additional reporting by agencies