The severe weather system known as Bora Storm has been affecting several regions of Greece since Saturday morning. Yesterday, the tragic deaths of two men in separate incidents on the island of Lemnos, linked to the storm, were reported. Local authorities in Rhodes described the situation as “biblical destruction” following the severe weather. According to the Updated Emergency Bulletin of Dangerous Weather Phenomena (EDEKF) issued by the Hellenic National Meteorological Service (HNMS), the extreme weather is expected to persist until Monday.
According to the Hellenic Fire Service, between 11 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, 294 calls were received at their operations centre. These involved rescuing individuals, removing fallen trees, and pumping water from flooded areas.
In detail, in Central Macedonia, 145 calls were received, leading to 84 tree removals, 10 object removals, and 2 water pumping operations. On the island of Lemnos, there were 76 calls resulting in 49 water pumping operations and 19 rescues of individuals to safe locations. In Chios, 28 calls led to 2 tree removals, 13 water pumping operations, and one individual being taken to safety. In Rhodes, 45 calls were made, resulting in one tree removal, 10 water pumping operations, and 19 rescues.
On Saturday, a 57-year-old shepherd, missing since the onset of the storm, was found dead by Fire Service personnel in the area of Kondia in Lemnos. Reports indicate that he disappeared in the flooded area near the Kondia Dam. According to police sources, the man drowned after being swept away by rushing waters while trying to free his car from mud in a stream where he had become trapped.
Additionally, a 70-year-old man in Kondia died after slipping and sustaining a fatal head injury while cleaning the steps of his house. He was pronounced dead upon arrival at the Myrina Hospital.
A warning message was issued via the 112 emergency service for Lemnos on Saturday morning, advising residents to restrict movement due to the hazardous weather conditions.
The Governor of the South Aegean, Giorgos Hatzimarkos, issued a statement regarding the “biblical destruction” caused by the storm in Rhodes.
In his statement, Hatzimarkos emphasised that “Rhodes faced severe challenges last night. Multiple rescue operations were conducted under extremely difficult conditions, even necessitating the rescue of rescuers themselves.”
He also noted that reinforcements had been sent to the island from Athens via a special flight, and a 112 emergency message was issued early Saturday morning banning all movement. The ban remains in place for 24 hours, with damage assessment efforts scheduled to begin only after the weather conditions subside.
“The state mechanism is on full alert, and communication with the Ministry of Civil Protection is ongoing. Extensive damage has been reported to roads, homes, and businesses. Currently, there are no reports of missing persons, and the region most affected, Ialysos, is under the supervision of the Special Disaster Response Unit (EMAK). We reiterate that a complete ban on movement remains in effect,” Hatzimarkos stated.
According to the Updated Emergency Bulletin of Dangerous Weather Phenomena issued by the Hellenic National Meteorological Service, the extreme weather is expected to continue until Monday.
Lastly, the Fire Service urged citizens to exercise extreme caution and to follow the instructions of the relevant authorities in the event of severe weather.
Also read: Fire Service issues precautionary measures ahead of severe weather
