Rainfall at Xyloskalo in Chania reaches 318mm as torrents rush through Samaria Gorge

Fast-moving floodwater swept through the Samaria Gorge in Chania after storms dumped 318 millimeters of rain at the Xyloskalo weather station, according to the automated meteorological station network of the National Observatory of Athens, operator of meteo.gr.

The bad weather hit Crete on Friday, October 2, and continued into the early hours of Saturday, October 3, leaving behind large volumes of water across the island. A video released Saturday shows a strong current cutting through the gorge, illustrating the intensity of the storms.

Rainfall concentrated over Chania’s mountains

The highest rainfall totals were recorded mainly in the island’s mountainous and northern areas, with Chania at the center of the system. The 318mm reading at Xyloskalo, in the White Mountains, was the largest figure reported across the meteo.gr station network.

To illustrate the scale, meteo.gr noted that 1 millimeter of rainfall is equivalent to 1 liter of water per square meter, or 1 ton of water per stremma (1,000 square meters) — meaning the Xyloskalo area received roughly 318 tons of water per stremma over the two-day period.

Chania authorities had already urged residents to limit travel the previous day, after a 112 alert sounded as the same system brought conditions in which gale-force winds grounded ferries from Crete.

The event adds to a string of heavy rain episodes on the island this autumn; an ERT meteorologist said earlier in the season that Crete receives in one day the rainfall Athens sees in a year, underlining how localized storms on Crete can produce exceptional totals. Samaria remains one of the island’s best-known gorges, and its closure status is announced separately by the managing authority depending on forecast conditions.