A man has died near Athens after being swept away during severe flooding triggered by Storm Erminio, as parts of Greece are hit by violent winds and an ominous cloud of Saharan dust.
The man, believed to be in his 50s, was found trapped beneath a car in the rural district of Nea Makri early on Thursday morning (April 2). Fire officials say he is thought to have stepped outside his flooded basement home before being carried off by fast‑moving water.
The storm has submerged streets, forced school closures and caused major disruption on Crete, where dust blown in from North Africa has turned the sky a deep red‑orange and grounded flights.
The port of Lerapetra during a dust storm on the Greek island of Crete -Credit:AFP via Getty Images
A red warning was issued by the national weather service EMY, with more “severe weather” forecasted for Thursday across most of Greece “with prolonged and intense rain and thunderstorms, and possibly localised hailstorms.”
Peloponnese, Central Greece, Evia, Thessaly, the Sporades Islands, Attica, and the Dodecanese regions have all been given the red alert warning. There is also an orange warning for the Cyclades, and the islands of the eastern Aegean. Temperatures will drop to 9C inland, 11C along the coast and 5C in the highest mountains.
A red alert has been issued for Crete, with the island’s western and southern regions braced for the worst of the weather from midday through Thursday night. Three flights bound for Iraklio were forced to divert, according to the ANA state news agency.
Emergency crews on Rhodes and Kos have been inundated with calls as flooding, fallen trees and downed power lines triggered dozens of incidents across both islands.
The port of Lerapetra during a dust storm on the Greek island of Crete -Credit:AFP via Getty Images
At Heraklion airport, operations were brought to a standstill on Wednesday when visibility plunged to around 1,000 metres – too low for safe landings. At least two incoming flights were diverted as the dust‑laden air thickened over the runway.
A British Airways service from London was rerouted to Corfu, while a SKY Express flight from Brussels was sent to Athens. Air travel across the island remains under pressure as the dense dust cloud continues to hang over Crete, causing delays.
A powerful tornado, which touched down in the coastal area of Pachia Ammos, reportedly flipped a truck, while in Ierapetra, huge waves surged into the first houses along the old town, as strong southerly winds whipped up dangerous coastal conditions. Authorities say the dust wave is expected to begin clearing later today.
The dusty conditions have been intensified by Storm Erminio, a powerful system bringing heavy rainfall, thunderstorms and strong winds across Greece.
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