Crete remains under red alert as officials say storms will ease Saturday afternoon
Crete remains under a red weather alert as the Risk Assessment Committee met on Saturday, October 3, to review the ongoing storms and associated risks across the island. The meeting was convened at the initiative of Nikos Papaefstathiou, Secretary General for Civil Protection, and attended by Evangelos Tournas, Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection.
According to the committee’s scientists, weather conditions on Crete will maintain their intensity until the afternoon. From that point, a gradual weakening is expected, though rain and storms are forecast to continue at lower intensity through Sunday morning. The island has already seen severe flooding this week, with rainfall equivalent to a year’s worth falling within a single day in some areas, according to one meteorologist.
Strong rain and storms are also expected in the Dodecanese from Saturday afternoon until Sunday noon, with locally very stormy northeasterly winds forecast across the Aegean. A slight weakening of those winds is expected from the afternoon onward.
Ongoing coordination and response
The National Coordination Center for Operations and Crisis Management (ESKEDIK) said it remains in continuous contact with municipalities, regional authorities and other involved agencies, monitoring the progress of the weather system and adjusting operational readiness as needed.
The flood risk response plan remains in effect, with fire service crews operating where required. Authorities said relevant services remain on standby to manage any problems arising from the continuing bad weather, following earlier warnings that had prompted the declaration of the red alert and school closures across parts of the island. Ferry services and port operations had also been affected in recent days as gale-force winds grounded sailings from Crete under a 112 emergency alert.
