Floods Hit Tourist Areas of Greece and Turkey After 280mm of Rain in 24 Hours

by in Europe, News

Several popular tourist areas of Greece and Turkey saw torrential rain and severe flooding late yesterday.

Greece

In Greece, Rhodes airport was closed as a result of flooding and heavy rain. Flooding was also reported in Chalkidiki and several parts of the Sporades islands, in particular Skopelos, where drivers trapped in their vehicles had to be rescued by the local fire service.

According to WMO figures, Skyros in the Sporades islands saw 286 mm of rain in 24 hours between 22 and 23 September 2015. Meteo Greece report that today Samothraki saw 9.20 mm of rain fall in one hour, and Karlovasi in Samos 7.00 mm in one hour.

Earlier today the Greek national meteorological service issued an Orange Alert for thunderstorms in central mainland, north-eastern Aegean and Dodekanisa islands.

Turkey

In Turkey, 8 people were injured and around 40 rescued after floods in the tourist resort of Bodrum. Torrential rain fell during a 3 hour period from around 21:00 local time yesterday, 22 September 2015.

According to local media, by the end of the downpour the town resembled a war zone. Flood water had rushed down from the surrounding mountains, and swept away dozens of vehicles, some of them as far as 300 metres, leaving them scattered around the town’s streets. By the end of the rain the town resembled a war zone. The floods had strewn the town with trees and debris. Flood water was reported to be over 2 metres deep in some areas.

Several people were trapped in their homes and Turkey’s Search and Rescue Society (AKUT) say that they were called on to make over 40 flood rescues.

According to WMO figures, 220.6 mm of rain fell in Bodrum in a 24 hour period between 22 and 23 September 2015. During the same period, high levels of rainfall were also recorded in Alanya (54.1 mm), Finike (76.4 mm), and Antalya (83.2 mm).

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Turkey

Greece