Flash floods and squalls are causing devastation, flight cancellations and school closures in parts of Greece. A man died on Rhodes and civil defense declared the highest alert level.
Image: Argyris Mantikos/Eurokinissi/REUTERS
Catastrophe in holiday paradise: Torrential rain turned the streets on the Greek island of Rhodes into raging rivers on Wednesday. One man died; the 62-year-old’s body was found near Archangelos on the east coast of the island. According to local authorities, the victim was a hotel employee whose car was washed into the sea.
Image: Argyris Mantikos/Eurokinissi/REUTERS
Several cars were washed into the sea by violent flash floods in the coastal town of Stegna. Up to 202 liters of rain per square meter fell in the region within just six hours. A woman had to be rescued from her car by firefighters after it became trapped in floodwaters.
Image: Argyris Mantikos/Eurokinissi/REUTERS
Other parts of the country are also affected by storms. Civil defense declared the highest alert level for the Attica region around Athens, the Sporades archipelago in the northwest Aegean and the holiday island of Crete. People were asked not to go outdoors.
Image: Angelos Tzortzinis/AFP
Due to poor visibility and strong winds, numerous flights to Rhodes had to be diverted to other airports, according to a local state broadcaster. Ferry services from the ports of Lavrio and Piraeus near Athens were also suspended due to the strong winds. Gusts of more than 100 kilometers per hour were measured in the Aegean Sea.
Image: Argyris Mantikos/Eurokinissi/REUTERS
On the island of Skiathos, cars were also swept away by the floods, and houses and streets were flooded. Numerous trees fell on Euboea and roads were damaged. Skiathos and Skopelos also reported power outages.
Image: Kyriakos Finas/REUTERS
Masses of water and heavy rockfalls led to road blockages and infrastructure damage on Rhodes. Schools remained closed here and on other islands, including Skiathos and Skopelos, on Wednesday. The situation calmed down on Thursday, but the weather is expected to deteriorate again on Friday.
Image: Eurokinissi/AFP6 images1 | 66 imageshttps://p.dw.com/p/5OI8l
