Volos hit by floods, after 10-hour storms

One man was found dead and hundreds of houses and roads were flooded in the port city of Volos, in central Greece, on Tuesday morning, following 10 hours of thunderstorms in the wider region which are expected to persist for another 24 hours. 

A cattle breeder was crushed by a wall that collapsed during the downpour in the district of Agios Georgios, the Fire Service said. His body was removed by 10 firefighters sent at the scene. 

Hundreds of drivers were trapped in their cars on Lambraki, Dimitriados, Iasonos, Argonafton, Larissis and Athinon streets, the main thoroughfares crossing the city. Vertical roads brought down huge amounts of rainwater from Mount Pelion that the drainage network cannot absorb.

Authorities were also very concerned about the rising water levels of the 12-kilometer Krafsidonas stream which collects water from Pelion and crosses several districts of Volos before ending up in the west side of the port and the Pagasetic Gulf.

On Tuesday morning, the water levels had risen by three meters placing the adjacent district of Agioi Anargyri at risk.

The basement of the Achillopoulio Hospital was filled with water and all buss services were halted. 

Flooding was also reported in the villages of Agria, Portaria, Tsangarada and Stagiates, where electricity supply was unstable.

“The general weather pattern over Europe has developed a large Omega-blocking high, surrounded by two deep lows on the side. One caused major floods in Spain, the other over the southern Balkans, and Greece is yet to do the same in the coming days,” the Severe Weather Europe webpage said.