Following intense weather events that severely impacted Epirus, Storm Adel has now unleashed its fury on Thassos and other parts of Greece. The communities of Panagia and Potamia on Thassos were particularly hard-hit, experiencing widespread flooding, landslides, and vehicles swept away by torrents of water.
Thassos Suffers Extensive Flood Damage
In Panagia and Potamia, the storm transformed streets into rivers, inundating homes, hotels, and businesses. Roads were torn up, and the Fire Service on Thassos received over 30 calls for water pumping from basements of homes and hotels in Skala Potamia. One driver was rescued after their car was swept away. Authorities are urging residents to avoid unnecessary travel and adhere to safety guidelines.
The region had previously experienced similar flooding in 2019. Despite subsequent infrastructure improvements, local residents emphasize the need for enhanced protection measures against future severe weather events. Fortunately, as it is winter, most hotel facilities were not operational, allowing owners to quickly address the damage without concern for guests.
Landslides and Road Closures in Epirus
In Epirus, continuous heavy rainfall over the past ten days resulted in a significant landslide that severed the road connecting the village of Agios Andreas in the Municipality of Dodoni to the Tyria-Sistrouni road axis. The road is now impassable.
Evangelos Nikolaou, Dr. Hydrogeology and head of the Hellenic Survey of Geology and Mineral Exploration (EAGME) in Epirus, stated that the rainfall in the area reached approximately 1,000 millimeters (one meter) within a week, a stark contrast to the annual average of about 1,500 millimeters. This extraordinary amount of precipitation has overwhelmed local infrastructure.
In Tzoumerka, a month’s worth of rain fell in just one week, exacerbating the situation across the region. Emergency crews are working to clear roads and restore access to affected areas, including major routes leading to Ioannina, which were blocked by massive rockfalls. Significant damage, including severe landslides, has been reported in the Agnanta area, where some houses are now precariously situated.
Corfu Experiences Rockfalls and Coastal Damage
The intense bad weather, which continues to affect northwestern Greece, has also caused new landslides on Corfu, particularly along the island’s western coasts. Rocks have fallen onto the road leading to Kontogialos and Glyfada. Two days after the downpour, water continues to rush down from the mountains onto Glyfada beach, causing extensive damage to the road and flooding businesses.
Attica Hit by Storm Adel
For the second time in 24 hours, Storm Adel struck the Attica basin, with northern suburbs bearing the brunt of the latest impact. Just before midnight yesterday, severe downpours in Lykovrysi and Metamorfosi turned streets into rivers. In Nea Kifissia, a squall uprooted trees and caused widespread material damage.
Crews from the Public Power Corporation (PPC) are carefully working to move a broken electricity pole in Nea Kifissia, which was struck by a falling tree during the storm. Residents of Nea Kifissia described the sudden squall as a small tornado, which uprooted trees and caused significant damage to fences and parked cars.
Shortly after midnight, a strong storm with hail and high winds affected many areas of Attica. Stairs in Kypseli resembled waterfalls. Throughout the night, municipal crews in Kifissia worked to cut and remove tree trunks that had fallen onto roads. The sudden natural disaster resulted in an entire eucalyptus tree falling and splitting Kokkinaki Street in Kifissia, causing significant damage to a nearby house, including its windows and roof.
On Elatis Street in Kifissia, a pine tree fell from a house’s yard into the street, causing serious damage to a parked car and breaking a pipe containing live electrical cables.
George Kasnaferis, Deputy Mayor for Green and Environment of Kifissia, stated that the problems were concentrated in a specific area, extending from Tatoiou and Othonos to Nea Kifissia and the Varympompi bridge. He reported at least 15 tree falls last night. The Fire Service received 30 calls for tree removals across Attica.
The Municipality of Athens announced that due to the collapse of the bridge over the Prophet Daniel stream, at Salaminios Street 12, vehicle traffic is prohibited until further notice. A fire broke out under the small bridge on Saturday morning, prompting an immediate response from the Fire Service due to the presence of high-voltage cables. The Municipality of Athens activated its Civil Protection and Municipal Police, who implemented temporary traffic regulations, and dispatched technical services to secure the area and repair the bridge. A team from the Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator (HEDNO) also responded. This bridge, jointly owned by the Municipalities of Athens and Egaleo, is used by heavy vehicles, making immediate intervention crucial. The Municipality of Athens is closely monitoring the situation and will provide further updates to citizens.
Source: https://www.capital.gr/epikairotita/3959818/dokimastikan-perioxes-apo-tin-kakokairia-plimmures-kai-kathiziseis/?amp=true
