Storm Elpida has caused widespread disruption to travel and damage to infrastructure in major cities in Greece and Turkey on Monday and Tuesday. The snowstorm brought heavy snowfall and triggered a rare 'snownado,' described as a tornado-like funnel of snow over land.
Widespread Disruption in Greece and Turkey
In Greece, Storm Elpida has placed the capital city of Athens under three inches of snow. This has resulted in widespread power outages, disrupting road traffic movement across the city. At least 15 people were also injured in central Greece when heavy snowfall halted a passenger train carrying around 200 people.
The government of Greece has deployed the military to engage in emergency services. The soldiers were seen handing out food, water, and blankets to drivers, who were stranded for more than 10 hours.
By early Tuesday, more than 3,500 people have been evacuated overnight on Monday and more than 1,000 vehicles were stuck along the capital's main ring-road on Tuesday. Other areas of Greece have witnessed winter freezing temperatures.
According to a report in BBC, government spokesman Giannis Oikonomou stated that Greece remained "in a very difficult phase, as the forecasts indicate that we will face difficulties again in a while."
Oikonomou also defended public criticism on social media on the slow evacuation of motorists trapped on the motorway.
Also read: Extreme Weather Hits Wealthy Countries, Scientists Say it is Human-Caused
Impact of Rare 'Snownado'
The impact of Storm Elpida in Athens forced local authorities to declare Tuesday a public holiday, requiring all private and public offices closed. The closure has exempted essential businesses such as supermarkets, pharmacies, and petrol stations.
In Turkey, Storm Elpida dumped up to 31 inches of snowfall across some areas of the country, resulting in approximately 4,600 people stranded on motorways. The storm forced the cancellation of flights at the Istanbul Airport in Istanbul, Turkey.
The closure of the airport was caused was due to the collapse of one of the cargo terminal's roofs and when its runways were covered with a thick blanket of snow.
Heavy snowfall prompted local authorities to ban private vehicles and buses from the streets until clean-up operations of the roads are completed. Social media posting reportedly showed other footage of cars and trucks stranded along the highways in and around Istanbul. In the city of Antalya, Turkey, beaches were covered with snow for the first time in 29 years.
Possible Relation to Climate Change
Prior to the formation of Storm Elpida into a 'snownado,' snowfall started over large areas across Europe last week and has only increased over recent days. Storm Elpida has been considered a rare and severe snowstorm as it caused widespread disruption and chaos across Greece and Turkey.
Heavy snowfall rarely occurs in Athens, but the recent event marks the city's second consecutive year to experience such a natural phenomenon. Since 2000, Athens has only witnessed six snow events.
Scientists have not yet analyzed whether there is a correlation between the storm and climate change. However, global warming has already increased temperatures in the region over the past decades, according to Copernicus, the European Union's Earth Observation Program.
Related article: Snow Warnings in United States Come From Tropical Zones
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