Flooding in Greece leaves at least 4 dead and 6 missing, villages cut off

Flooding triggered by severe rainstorms also hit neighbouring Bulgaria and Turkey, leaving a total of 15 people dead in the three countries

The flooding follows devastating wildfires that destroyed vast tracts of forest and farmland, burned homes and left more than 20 people dead

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A Flooded factory in Magnesia, Greece following unprecedented bad weather conditions in the country. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 9:32pm, 7 Sep 2023

Widespread flooding in central Greece has left at least four people dead and six missing, with severe rainstorms turning streams into raging torrents, bursting dams, washing away roads and bridges, and hurling cars into the sea.

Authorities deployed divers and swift water rescue specialists as residents in some villages took refuge on the roofs of their homes on Thursday to escape floodwaters that rose to more than 2 meters (6 feet).

Flooding triggered by severe rainstorms also hit neighbouring Bulgaria and Turkey, leaving a total of 15 people dead in the three countries.

A woman tries to remove mud and water from a flooded road after a storm struck Magnesia, Greece. Photo: EPA-EFE

In Greece, helicopters, unable to fly earlier due to frequent lightning, began plucking people from flooded areas and winching them to safety on Thursday afternoon.

At least three villages in central Greece were completely cut off by floodwaters, with residents dialling in to radio stations to report homes collapsing and to appeal for rescue.

The body of one man who had been reported missing on Wednesday was recovered from a stream on Thursday, bringing the country’s death toll from the floods to four.

Our country finds itself, for the third day, dealing with a phenomenon the likes of which we have not seen in the past

Pavlos Marinakis, Greek government spokesman

Vassilis Kikilias, Greece’s minister for climate crisis and civil protection, said more than 885 people had been rescued so far and six were reported missing. The military said it had deployed more than 25 boats to rescue people trapped by floodwater, while seven helicopters and a military transport plane were on standby.