At least one dead as cars washed away during Greece storm with 7,000 lightning bolts recorded

Sep 05, 2023

At least one person has died as a torrential storm batters parts of Greece, leaving many homes and roads flooded.

Storm Daniel has swept over the western and central regions of the country bringing heavy rain, extreme winds and hail.

The storm has claimed the life of one man, who died after a wall collapsed and fell on him in the coastal city of Volos, the fire department said.

Another man is reported missing after his car was dragged away by the floodwaters and a search operation is under way to find him.

Greek police ordered a traffic ban in Volos and the nearby mountain region of Pelion as torrents ravage the streets, with footage from state broadcaster ERT showing other cars being carried away.

Emergency service and roadside assistance vehicles will be stationed until the storm subsides, police said.

Authorities also warned residents in central Greece, as well as the Sporades island chain and the island of Evia near Athens, urging them to stay indoors.

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But, the worst may not yet be over for some, with Pelion forecast to see up to 700mm of rain today and tomorrow, and up to 600mm is expected to hit the central Greek town of Karditsa, according to its national weather service.

Over 7,000 bolts of lightning were recorded to have struck up to Monday afternoon, according to the National Observatory of Athens meteorological service.

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The storm comes an unbridled wildfire scorched Greece’s Evros region near the border with Turkey for more than two weeks.

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It was blamed for the deaths of 20 people – believed to be Turkish migrants.

Only yesterday did the Greek fire department indicate that the blaze was subsiding, although hundreds of firefighters were tackling some pockets still burning.

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