Title: Heavy Rainfall Triggers Major Flooding in Central Greece, Death Toll Rises
Date: [Date]
Central Greece faced a night of relentless rainfall, resulting in extensive flooding and necessitating the deployment of armed forces to rescue affected residents on Thursday. Some villages in the region have been left almost entirely underwater as a result of the catastrophic weather conditions.
According to the country’s fire service, four people have already lost their lives in Greece due to the extreme weather, and the number of casualties is feared to rise further as reports of missing individuals surface.
The severity of the floods has hindered rescue efforts, as fire service vehicles were unable to reach the worst-hit areas due to the deep and treacherous waters. Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis stated that divers from the fire service were utilizing dinghies to reach trapped residents, although aircraft operations were hampered by lightning. The coast guard dispatched divers to assist with the rescue operations.
In neighboring Turkey, floods have also claimed at least nine lives, affecting various parts of the country including Istanbul, its most populous city.
Greece has been experiencing more intense wildfires and flooding in recent years, attributed to global warming. Last month, the country witnessed the largest wildfires ever recorded in Europe. Meteorologists expressed astonishment at the unprecedented level of rainfall, calling it the heaviest in decades.
The Greek military has been actively involved in rescue efforts, working towards the evacuation of trapped citizens and the restoration of damaged roads. While providing an update, the head of the armed forces, Konstantinos Floros, revealed that military units were being deployed to rebuild collapsed bridges.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has ordered the establishment of an operations center to coordinate rescue missions, distribute essential supplies like food and water, and restore vital infrastructure services like power and running water. The prime minister plans to tour the affected region over the weekend to assess the extent of the damage alongside civil protection and emergency service officials.
As the storm over central Greece subsided on Thursday afternoon, footage on Greek television captured residents being airlifted from their homes, which were engulfed in muddy floodwaters.
The Greek coast guard also facilitated the rescue of individuals trapped in the seaside villages of Mikro and Platania. More than 100 people, including residents and tourists, were successfully rescued from Mikro, with additional efforts underway to save hundreds more in Platania.
The city of Volos, home to approximately 125,000 people and one of the hardest-hit areas, continued to experience power and water outages for the second consecutive day. Local authorities dispatched agricultural vehicles to navigate through submerged streets, distributing bottled water to residents. The mayor of Volos, Achilleas Beos, confirmed that the army would augment relief operations by assisting with food distribution.
Heartbreaking footage shared on social media depicted severely flooded houses in the village of Palamas, with residents standing on the roofs, making desperate phone calls for help. The mayor of Palamas, Giorgos Sakellariou, appealed to the authorities for a helicopter to rescue residents, describing the situation as tragic.
While one resident from Vlochos made a distress call to a Greek television station, the fire service spokesman, Yiannis Artopios, urged patience as extreme weather conditions were expected to ease later in the day. The fire service received almost 5,000 calls for assistance since Tuesday.
Kostas Tsioukas, a resident of Metamorfosi village, emphasized that urgent help was needed, particularly for vulnerable individuals such as the elderly, children, and disabled persons. He also expressed concern for those still missing.
Greece’s civil protection minister, Vassilis Kikilias, disclosed that authorities were searching for six missing individuals in the village of Agia Triada. He confirmed that five villages, including Palamas and Agia Triada, were isolated due to the flooding. With the imminent improvement in weather conditions, rescue efforts will be intensified.
Meanwhile, in Turkey, rescuers have been searching tirelessly for a three-month-old baby who was separated from her mother during heavy rainfall in central Turkey since Sunday.
Turkish officials have issued warnings about another bout of heavy rain expected to hit northern and western parts of the country.
As the affected regions strive to recover and rebuild, international support and solidarity are crucial during these distressing times.
Contributed by Safak Timur from Istanbul, Turkey.