Torrential Rains Flood Homes and Roads in Greece, Leaving a Man Dead
ATHENS, Sept 5 – Greece has been hit by heavy rainfall, causing widespread flooding in homes, businesses, and roads. Tragically, a man lost his life after a wall collapsed in the bad weather, according to the fire brigade.
Storm Daniel has been relentlessly battering western and central Greece since Monday, leading to numerous calls to emergency services to help pump out water. This comes just days after firefighters successfully brought a deadly wildfire under control in the country’s north.
“The man died after a wall collapsed near Volos city, probably due to the bad weather,” a fire brigade official stated. However, no further details were provided regarding the incident.
The Athens News Agency reported that the wall collapsed when the man, who was a cattle breeder, was attempting to reach his animals.
In another incident, around 94 inmates from a nursing home in Volos were relocated to safety due to the torrential rain causing damage to their facility.
Footage from state broadcaster ERT showcased cars being washed away in Volos, a port city on the Pagasetic Gulf, and ending up on muddy shores.
Sadly, a man remains missing in Volos after his car was swept away by the rainstorm during the earlier part of Tuesday. The fire brigade spokesperson, Ioannis Artopoios, informed Skai television that the man’s son managed to get out of the car, but the father was carried away. Currently, a search operation is underway to locate him.
“It’s the most extreme weather in terms of the amount of rainfall within 24 hours since records have been kept in the country,” stated Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias. He urged people to stay indoors for their safety.
Authorities have imposed traffic restrictions in Volos and the nearby mountainous area of Pelion, where the storm has resulted in extensive power cuts.
Flash floods in Greece in 2017 claimed the lives of 25 people and left hundreds homeless.
Reporting by Lefteris Papadimas; Additional reporting by Angeliki Koutantou; Editing by Angus MacSwan and Sandra Maler
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