Medicane Zorbas is sweeping across Greece and leaves behind chaos: flooded towns and villages, swollen rivers and streams, collapsed bridges, damaged infrastructure, areas without electricity. Three people are reportedly missing on Sunday in North Evia, that was hit by torrential rains in the night form Saturday to Sunday.
Police and fire Service are searching for an elderly couple that was driving between Mantoudi and Metohi in North Evia short after Saturday midnight. Their car was found on Sunday in the area of Pyli.
Missing is also the driver of a vehicle that was swept away by rushing waters. The co-passenger, a woman was found to have climbed on a tree, and could not give information about the whereabouts of the 27-year-old motorist.
Due to heavy volume of rainwater in short time, river Kisseas swoll and flooded Mantoudi and passed through the village of Prokopi.
Mantoudi on Sunday morning – via evianews.
Homes and businesses were flooded and many residents went to roof tops for protection.
Between Mantoudi and Prokopi on Sunday morning.
Flooded businesses where the open bazaar is held on Sundays.
Short after Saturday midnight, south Fthiotida was also hit by torrential rainfalls, with flooded homes in Agios Konstantinos, Arkitsa and Atalanti.
Locals say they have never experienced such a situation and were expecting help.
In Malesina and Theologos, huge volumes of rainwater fell while gale force winds were striking the areas.
Traffic in the area was halted in the early morning hours and “the worst was avoided as many people who have summer houses in the area went to check if their properties were OK,” deputy governor of Civil Protection in charge of the area Thanassis Karakantza told amna.
‘They were trying to drive through the water to check their properties,” he stressed.
Calls to evacuate motorists went through all night.
Firefighters have been working all night to pump waters, have reportedly evacuated hundreds of people from flooded homes.
The Fire Service has received form than 1,300 calls for help.
In one case, they evacuated a woman and her child, whose car engine went off when they were driving in the waters.
An elderly couple from USA was found in good condition in Chlomo by Atalanti. The couple had lost orientation amid the weather havoc and called the European Emergency Number <112> They could not say where exactly they were, a fire service team located the couple several hours later.
Halkida in Evia Saturday night
Medicane Zorbas hit first South-West Peloponnese and brought sea into the towns and villages. In Kalamata with winds reached a speed 103 km/h on Saturday morning. It moved to the East causing floods in Argos and Corinth. It swept further to the East, flooding areas in Kineta and Megara and later to Attica where it caused minor flooding and had traffic closed in many roads.
By 2 o’ clock Sunday noon, the cyclone is striking the Sporades islands
Greece’s Civil Protection is urging people to refrain from crossing streams, rivers and flooded roads.
