Storm kills livestock farmer in Rethymno as flooding hits Crete
A storm system that struck Crete for 24 hours has killed a livestock farmer in Rethymno and caused widespread damage across the island, local media reported on Thursday.
Flooded homes, roads turned into rivers, and waterways blocked by debris marked the scene across Crete, according to reports. The Municipality of Mylopotamos, in Rethymno, declared a state of emergency after an 112 alert sounded in the area as rivers overflowed and roads were cut off.
In Gouves, within the Municipality of Chersonisos, the coastal road was split in two and cars ended up in the sea. Vineyards were damaged in Profitis Ilias, in the Municipality of Heraklion, and in other settlements.
In Heraklion, the areas of Foinikia and Mades were at the center of the storm after the Drakouliaris river swelled. Members of the residents’ committee of Giofyros and Xiropotamos raised an alarm over conditions in their areas, while the local community of Korfes, within the Malevizi municipality, appealed to residents to limit travel.
For precautionary and operational reasons, schools across Crete will remain closed on Friday, officials said, as part of a wider response that has seen local authorities raise the alert level over flood risk.
The village of Anogeia recorded extreme rainfall, with 361.4 mm of rain measured between Wednesday, September 30 and noon on Thursday, October 1. ERT meteorologist Nikoleta Ziakopoulou said Crete received, in a single day, as much rain as Athens typically sees in a year.
More bad weather expected through the weekend
Following a lull of a few hours, weather conditions are expected to intensify again from Friday and continue through Sunday, according to forecasts. The coming days are expected to be demanding for the Civil Protection services of the Region of Crete and the island’s municipalities, while residents have also mobilized to protect their homes and property.
“We are organizing and remain on constant alert. We do not let our guard down for a moment,” said Giorgos Tsapakos, deputy regional governor for Civil Protection at the Region of Crete, in comments to Cretalive.
Friday’s forecast
For Friday, October 2, forecasters predict sunshine with limited cloud cover across Greece, increasing in eastern and southern areas, with local storms expected in Crete and the Dodecanese. Conditions in the northern and mountainous parts of Crete are expected to turn locally intense after the afternoon.
Temperatures in Crete and the Cyclades are forecast to range between 18 and 22 degrees Celsius. Winds in the Aegean are expected to blow from the north at strong to near gale-force intensity, reaching 6 to 7 Beaufort, with gusts of 80 to 90 km/h.
