A powerful storm named Elias has struck central Greece, causing widespread devastation in the city of Volos and surrounding areas. The storm led to severe flooding, with roads and bridges being swept away, and thousands of homes submerged in water. The fire service has been carrying out numerous rescues and evacuations in response to the crisis.
Volos Mayor Achilleas Beos described the situation as dire, stating that the entire city had turned into a “lake.” He expressed concerns for people’s lives, emphasizing that even he was trapped, and that 80% of the city was without power. The extent of the flooding has been likened to the biblical story of Noah’s Ark.
This is the second major storm to hit the region in less than a month. The previous storm, which occurred earlier this month, resulted in the loss of 16 lives and caused extensive damage amounting to over 2 billion euros. The repeated occurrence of severe weather events has left residents in Volos and neighboring areas grappling with the consequences.
In response to the ongoing crisis, residents in Volos resorted to using plastic buckets to remove mud from their homes in an attempt to salvage their belongings. Many, including 83-year-old Apostolis Dafereras, expressed astonishment at the severity of the situation, with Dafereras stating that he had never witnessed anything like it in his many years of living in the area.
The worst damages have been reported in and around Volos, as well as in the northern areas of the nearby island of Evia. These regions have been susceptible to flooding due to the impact of large-scale wildfires that occurred two years ago. The European Union has pledged more than 2 billion euros in financial support to assist Greece in managing the damage caused by the wildfires and ongoing floods. The Greek government is also renegotiating aid packages to allocate funds specifically for climate change adaptation.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis acknowledged the gravity of the situation, stating that the country’s positive progress has been overshadowed by natural disasters that are a direct result of climate change.
Sources:
– Definition of Elias storm: A powerful storm that struck central Greece, leading to severe flooding and extensive damage.
– Definition of Volos: A city in central Greece that has been severely affected by the recent storms and flooding.
– Definition of Evia: A nearby island that has also experienced significant damage due to the storms and flooding.
– Source of information: Associated Press (AP) article by Elena Becatoros and Derek Gatopoulos.