Severe flooding along the Evros River has placed northeastern Greece under regional emergency status, destroying winter harvests and covering extensive cropland across the Evros plain.
Authorities activated a “Red Code” alert for the Evros regional unit on February 19 after the river’s water levels rose sharply, triggering flooding conditions across the basin. Five consecutive months of excess rainfall since October 2025 had already left soils saturated and seed stocks rotting, making the region especially vulnerable when the February surge arrived.
Satellite data from the Copernicus Emergency Management Service (EMSR868) on February 19 confirmed widespread inundation near Soufli, Lavara, Mandra, and Pythio, with local water depths exceeding 1.5 m (5 feet).
The Greek Civil Protection reported that approximately 16 200 ha (40 000 acres) were directly flooded and more than 60 700 ha (150 000 acres) of farmland were damaged overall.
In the Neapoli plain of Voio municipality, about 1 200 ha (3 000 acres) were buried under mud and water, destroying legumes, cereals, and alfalfa. Farmers in neighboring areas reported total losses of wheat, barley, oats, and lentils across 800–1 200 ha (2 000–3 000 acres).
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Satellite image of flood in Evros River basin, Greece acquired on February 23, 2026. Credit: CopernicusEU/Sentinel-2, The Watchers
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Satellite image of flood in Evros River basin, Greece acquired on February 23, 2026. Credit: CopernicusEU/Sentinel-2, The Watchers
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Satellite image of flood in Evros River basin, Greece acquired on February 23, 2026. Credit: CopernicusEU/Sentinel-2, The Watchers
Hydrological data show inflows of about 1 500–1 600 m³/s entering the Greek section of the Evros River from Bulgaria — volumes already exceeding the channel’s capacity to absorb. Upstream pressure intensified after a dam failure near Haskovo released additional water into an already overwhelmed system.
The Arda, Tundzha, Erythropotamos, and Ergene rivers each added their part to the surge, while cross-border inflows from Turkey further amplified flooding along the lower basin. At Pythio, authorities measured river levels between 6.5 and 7.7 m (21–25 feet), among the highest observed in recent years.
Officials estimate it could take at least two months for the waters to fully drain from the fields before a complete damage assessment can be carried out.
Emergency teams, fire brigades, and army units were deployed to reinforce embankments and pump water from residential areas. Several villages remain inaccessible as roads and fields stay submerged, and a major highway through western Greece was closed because of landslides and flood damage.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis traveled to the Evros region in person, announcing €30 million (USD 35 million) in national funding to repair damaged infrastructure and support agricultural recovery.
On the diplomatic front, Greece and Bulgaria have signed a four-year water agreement aimed at stabilizing agricultural water allocations and improving flow coordination between the two countries — a deal widely seen as a first step toward preventing a repeat of the cross-border conditions that drove the February crisis.
Flooding was also reported in parts of western Greece, the Peloponnese, and Lemnos, raising concerns for the upcoming 2026 planting season. With large tracts of soil still water-logged and damaged seed reserves, agricultural recovery across northern and central Greece is expected to take months.
References:
1 Flood in Evros River basin, Greece EMSR868 Situational Report – CEMS – February 2026
2 Greece Activates Red Code Alert Over Flood Risk –Greek City Times – February 19, 2026
3 Floodwaters recede slightly in Evros as area remains on alert – Ekathimerini – February 27, 2026