Greece is being battered by heavy rain and strong winds from Storm Byron, causing severe flash flooding, and more showers are to come with red warnings in place
Terrifying images show streets turned into fast-flowing rivers and cars carried away in the floods as red weather warnings have been issued in a popular holiday destination for Brits.
Authorities on the Greek islands Rhodes and Lemnos declared a state of emergency this week after Storm Byron made landfall, leaving two dead and causing widespread damage. And now the extreme conditions have spread across much of the country, with the south and east most affected.
The regions now on maximum alert are Attica, Central Macedonia (especially Pieria, Imathia, Chalkidiki and Thessaloniki), Thessaly, Central Greece, Peloponnese, Ionian Islands, North Aegean, South Aegean (with particular emphasis on Santorini/Thira and Rhodes) and Crete.
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Emergency teams, assisted by the military and local authorities, have rescued many older residents in flood-hit areas, after strong winds and torrential rain flipped cars, caused power outages and damaged roads. On Rhodes, the muddy water can be seen carrying debris as it sweeps down streets and past shops. There has been further flash flooding today and there is predicted to be more rain on the way.
Two men have so far been killed in a flooded village on Lemnos due to the impact of Byron, while scores of people were evacuated and taken to hotels in the island’s main port.
Vassilis Kikilias, the minister for climate crisis and civil protection, urged residents in storm-hit areas to comply with evacuation orders that are announced using cellphone push alerts. “It is a thousand times better to comply with potentially excessive warnings than to face tragedy,” the minister told Skai television.
The Municipality of Rhodes said schools will remain closed on Friday due to “severe storms and dangerous conditions.” Officials also urged people to avoid travel if possible as the rainfall “may intensify in the coming hours.” A red warning has been issued for Rhodes and other areas of Greece.
The Hellenic National Meteorological Service says the worst of the storm is hitting the east and south, including the Cyclades, Dodecanese and Crete. Gusts in the southeastern Aegean could hit 8–9 Beaufort on Friday.
A statement from the agency reads: “The heavy rains and storms occurring in most areas of the eastern and southern part of the country will continue today, Thursday (04-12-2025) and until the morning hours of Saturday (06-12-2025).
“It is noted that the rainfall, in addition to being very intense, will also be of long duration. The phenomena in many areas will be strong and will be accompanied by local hail and at times by very strong winds.”
Meteorologists say there could be 200–250 tonnes of water per hectare dumped over parts of the country, with volumes capable of causing widespread urban and rural devastation.
The storm has reached Athens where it is causing similar devastation from flooding, while schools on multiple islands, including Symi, Hydra, Kythira and Kastellorizo, have been pre-emptively shut. Falling rocks also have led to the closure of a section of the national highway linking the towns of Sparta and Gytheio, both of which experienced serious flooding.