ATHENS – Just as tourists are beginning to come in bigger numbers, it's too hot even to go to the beach in some parts of Greece, the temperate hitting 43 degrees Celsius (109.4 Fahrenheit) in some parts of the country.

The heatwave was expected to continue for a fifth day on June 27 and break briefly the next day but resume on June 28, with people advised to stay out of the sun, drink plenty of liquids and air conditioners cranked 24/7 everywhere.

Te National Observatory of Athens’ Meteo weather service, temperatures over the weekend were highest in central and northern parts of the country, while they also soared in the capital where the streets were scorching.

The second wave could be even more intense after the first was driven by air masses from North Africa sweeping over the Mediterranean into the country, baking most areas, especially the Ionian Sea and the mainland and even coastal areas only a few degrees cooler but still frying.

A deadly 1987 heat wave, before air conditioning was prevalent, killed as many as 1,000 people, the New York Times had reported then.