Thousands of households in dozens of suburbs in Athens are without electricity for over 14 hours, some even without water. Public transport in Greek capital collapsed due to snowfall that is claimed to be the “heaviest in the last 15 years.” Covid-19 vaccinations have been suspended. Supermarkets will close at 6 pm.
The snowfall in Athens disrupted the operation of public transport on Tuesday, including the metro system, leaving commuters waiting in the freezing cold and vain at bus, tram, trolley and metro stations.
Line 1 (green line from Piraeus to Kifissia) of the Athens metro is closed and trains on Line 3 (blue line) are only going as far as Doukissis Plakentias Station. Passengers going to the Athens International Airport must then transfer here to the Proastiakos railway trains to complete their journey.
Buses and trolley services are operating only in the southern suburbs of Athens, with vehicles recalled as a safety precaution due to the icy conditions on Tuesday morning.
The tram operation was reportedly restored at noon after a fallen tree was removed from the track. Metro 1 operation was also restored early afternoon. All buses have been withdrawn from traffic also from Tuesday noon.
Over 24 suburbs in northern and eastern Athens have been without electricity and heating since Monday evening. In several others the water supply has been cut.
600 teams of the electricity company are underway trying to restore the problems, state ERT TV reported.
Εκχιονιστικό στην Αναγνωστοπούλου
Καλημέρα! #κολωνακι pic.twitter.com/2cTl7a6dfK— Zefi Dimadama (@ZefiDimadama) February 16, 2021
Snowplows were seen in the morning in Kolonaki district in downtown Athens as well as in southern suburbs, as the state mechanism failed to throw salt in the night.
The Civil Protection and the Regional Government of Attica strongly urge residents of Athens and Attica to avoid unnecessary movement for the next hours as the heavy snowfall is forecast to continue until Wednesday morning.
Also Prime Minister Kyrakos Mitsotakis urged citizens “to be very careful and avoid necessary movements due to intense weather phenomena.” He made the recommendation after a meeting at the Civil Protection headquarters and following a tour in downtown Athens with journalists nd a coffee break.
Κρύο κάπως, ε; pic.twitter.com/hZbSNbZV39
— Thomas Mavrofides (@blacktom1961) February 16, 2021
In a last minute statement, the Development Ministry said that supermarkets will close at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday in order to protect workers and consumers.
The Ministry of Justice suspended the operation of all courts and public prosecutors’ offices in Attica on Tuesday, due to the snow and bad weather conditions. Exceptions to the suspension will be made for crimes and misdemeanors that are intercepted in the act and cases of an urgent nature that need to be dealt with immediately.
Video: from the south suburbs Moschato, Kallithea and snow in Ilissos river.
Περίπατος στον χιονισμένο Ιλισσό, Μοσχάτο – Καλλιθέα.#χιονιας #Covid_19 #Μηδεια #athens #snow #SnowDay #κολωνακι pic.twitter.com/DGduNow1On
— Τεμπέλικο Χέλι (@amarantos33) February 16, 2021
Traffic police has closed several roads to traffic, in some areas snow-chains are necessary.
Vaccinations Covid-19: vaccinations were halted on Tuesday due to weather conditions, health authorities said that those with cancelled appointments will be informed with new messages.
PS the usual mean Greeks wonder what did the state mechanism do to prevent all these problems in the Greek capital, given the fact that they have been warned in time and held one emergency meeting after the other with all ministers, deputy ministers and officials in charge.
