A powerful storm, known as Elias, brought widespread destruction to parts of central Greece, causing extensive flooding in the city of Volos and leaving hundreds stranded in nearby mountain villages. The storm swept away roads, smashed bridges, and flooded thousands of homes, leaving many residents in a precarious situation. The fire service carried out multiple rescues and evacuations, and authorities were searching a mountainous area for the pilot of a private helicopter that went missing in the bad weather.
Volos mayor Achilleas Beos described the city as “a lake” and said people’s lives were in danger, with 80% of the city without power. He added that it was like the story of Noah’s Ark, implying that the storm’s ferocity was overwhelming. The bad weather earlier this month had already caused significant damage, killing 16 people and causing over two billion euros in damage.
Military and municipal crews scrambled to flooded areas, placing flood victims in dinghies or excavator buckets to get them to safety. Around 280 people were taken to safe areas, and residents in Volos used plastic buckets and brooms to push the mud out of their homes and try to protect their belongings. Among those struggling to cope was 83-year-old Apostolis Dafereras, who has lived in a suburb of Volos since 1955 and described the flooding as the worst he had ever seen.
A Devastating Storm Wreaks Havoc on Central Greece
The storm also damaged infrastructure, with roads, bridges, and railway tracks washed away, prompting Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to promise to rebuild to a higher standard. However, many flood victims felt unprotected and angered that their homes have been damaged for a second time, with one resident calling the situation “extremely dangerous and reprehensible.” The European Union has promised Greece over two billion euros in financial support to cope with the damage caused by summer wildfires and the ongoing floods, and Athens is renegotiating aid packages to direct funds towards climate change adaptation.
