Greece – Floods in Central and Western Areas Leave 1 Dead

Parts of Greece recorded heavy rain during a series of storms that began late Saturday 26 November, 2016. The heavy rain has also affected northwestern Turkey, in particular Çanakkale province.

Greece

The Fire Service in Greece reported that one man died in floods on the island of Zakynthos (Zante), part of the Ionian Islands in western Greece. Flooding has left homes damaged, schools closed and traffic disrupted throughout the island.

Flooding also affected parts of Attica, including the country’s capital city Athens, where several underground stations and roads have been closed.

A further storm on Monday 28 November brought yet more heavy rain and local media report that some areas of Zakynthos have recorded over 200 mm rain since Sunday.

Fire service officials said that they received 470 calls (390 in Attica, 80 in Zakynthos) for assistance in a 16 hour period on Sunday, mostly with requests for pumping flood water, rescuing stranded drivers and evacuating people to safer locations.

At least four flood rescues were carried out by emergency crews in Attica and 16 flood rescues in Zakynthos after people were trapped in their vehicles on flooded roads.

The man found drowned on Zakynthos had been missing for several hours. His body was found in the Vanato area of Zakynthos.

On Tuesday, parts of the North Aegean region also saw heavy rain causing some damage to homes and disruption to traffic on the island of Lesbos.

Rainfall, 24 hour Period

27 to 28 November 2016 (figures approx.).

• Mytilini Airport – 111.0 mm
• Zakynthos – 66.0 mm
• Andravida Airport – 64.0 mm

26 to 27 November 2016 (figures approx.).

• Zakynthos – 87 mm

25 to 26 November 2016 (figures approx.).

• Zakynthos – 35.0 mm

Weather Warnings

Orange levels warnings for severe thunderstorms have been issued for Tuesday, 29 November, for the following areas:

• Dodekanisa Islands
• East Peloponnisos
• Ionion Islands
• Kriti
• Kyklades
• North East Aegean Islands
• West Peloponnisos

Social Media

https://t.co/3pKiXnQQj2
Ζάκυνθος:Κλειστά και αύριο 29/11/2016 όλα τα σχολεία του νησιού pic.twitter.com/pupHOUZHDX

— zantenewstime.gr (@zantenewstimegr) November 28, 2016

Για δεύτερη συνεχόμενη ημέρα η Ζάκυνθος δέχεται ισχυρές βροχοπτώσεις. Φωτο του Sotiris Kalogiros pic.twitter.com/uyokkfkZ6n

— meteo.gr – Ο καιρός (@meteogr) November 27, 2016

Εικόνες που αποτυπώνουν το μέγεθος της καταστροφής στη #Ζάκυνθο σήμερα. Του Nikos Mousouras pic.twitter.com/IzKrgCMe30

— meteo.gr – Ο καιρός (@meteogr) November 27, 2016

Σοβαρά τα προβλήματα στην περιοχή του Λυκαβηττού. #Athens pic.twitter.com/CJAojDNHZd

— meteo.gr – Ο καιρός (@meteogr) November 27, 2016

Turkey

The storms also affected parts of neighbouring Turkey. As much as 91.2 mm of rain was recorded in 24 hour in Çanakkale city, northwestern Turkey, between 27 and 28 November.

Areas of the wider Çanakkale province also recorded heavy rain, according to Turkey’s General Directorate of Meteorology (Meteoroloji Genel Müdürlüğü – MGM). Lapseki recorded 60.9 mm, Gökçeada 48.6 mm and Gelibolu 32.8 mm.

Local media report that flooding blocked roads and damaged homes Çanakkale province.

MGM warned that further heavy rain was expected in Çanakkale and Balıkesir provinces.

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