Storm Elias: 3,000 Evacuated In Greece After Months-Worth Of Rain Dumped In A Day

Storm Elias forced the evacuation of around 3,000 individuals in Greece after it brought months-worth of rain in just one day.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis immediately mobilized state emergency services as well as military personnel to boost defenses in areas including the northern Thessaly region as villages have been inundated and roads were also filled with floods.

Some schools were also forced to close in several municipalities.

Months-worth of rain

The European Severe Weather Database (ESWD) disclosed that months-worth of rain had fallen in just a day and it was followed by more heavy rains, hail, and thunder in the next days.

Authorities said that the port city of Volos in Thessaly was among those to have been hit hard by Elias and even the previous Storm Daniel.

In the latest weather disturbance, the port city was flooded anew, with police officers already prohibiting traffic circulation in the area to ensure the safety of residents.

Volos' Mayor Achilleas Beos lamented that his constituents' lives are in danger as 80 percent of the city has no power. The official also mentioned that he was trapped just like other victims.

Beos called on the residents to stay in their homes to ensure their safety amid the heavy rains.

They said that Volos saw 298 mm (11.7 inches) of rainfall in a 14-hour period from Elias, which was considered as more than eight times the city's September average.

Meanwhile, other areas across Greece also experience torrential rains as Limni saw 216 mm (8.5 inches) in 7 hours and Istiaia witnessed 140 mm (5.5 inches) in 3.5 hours.

Furthermore, in the Island of Evia, villages were also inundated, and roads had collapsed.

Storm Daniel

Elias was the second major storm to hit the region since Storm Daniel pounded Greece for days early this month. Daniel then was dubbed as the most intense rainfall to hit Greece since records began in 1930.

A number of residents in Volos expressed belief that officials are still dealing with the impacts of Daniel and that they are not sufficiently prepared for another weather disturbance.

To recall, the rains brought by Daniel caused at least three deaths near the central city of Volos and in Karditsa, farther west.

Some people also went missing amid its onslaught.

Volos also experienced power outage and landslides and water have badly destroyed buildings and roads in adjacent communities.

Mitsotakis already promised to rebuild infrastructure to a higher standard after roads, bridges and rail tracks were washed away following the deep floods.

Authorities said that Greece was one of at least 10 countries and territories, which have been hit by severe floods this month.

Experts have warned that these types of extreme weather events, which are presently affecting countries all over the world, may become usual and common due to the acceleration of the climate crisis.

This puts pressure all governments across the globe to prepare for these weather events.

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