Two killed by high waves, floodwaters as severe weather hits Greece

by IANS |

Athens, Jan 22 (IANS) Two people were killed as a severe weather system swept across Greece, authorities said.

In southern Greece's Peloponnese peninsula, a Coast Guard officer lost his life after being swept away by strong waves at the port of Astros Kynourias and sustaining serious head injuries, according to local officials. In the southern Athens suburb of Glyfada, a woman was killed when floodwaters carried away her car, reports Xinhua news agency, citing Greek national broadcaster ERT.

Large parts of the country were affected by the weather front, which brought heavy rainfall, gale-force winds and snowfall in mountainous areas. At least six regions, including Attica, were placed under a "Red Code" state of emergency, with residents receiving alerts urging them to stay indoors and follow official instructions.

As a precautionary measure, authorities ordered the closure of schools in Attica and other affected regions. Traffic disruptions were reported nationwide, with several motorists stranded in hard-hit areas, while ferry services were suspended at ports across the country.

The Fire Brigade said it received more than 600 emergency calls, mainly for evacuations from flooded streets, removal of fallen trees and pumping water from homes and businesses. Flooding also caused extensive damage to agricultural land and livestock facilities.

Earlier on January 10, strong winds disrupted ferry services at the port of Piraeus, leaving several ships docked and causing inconvenience for travellers.

Although no general sailing ban was imposed, some ferry companies cancelled scheduled routes due to adverse weather conditions.

The disruption comes as Greece is being affected by a new wave of severe weather, characterised by gale-force winds, heavy rainfall and a sharp drop in temperatures. Winds in parts of the Aegean and Ionian seas have reached up to nine on the Beaufort scale.