Severe weather, characterized by stormy winds, has swept across many areas of Greece, causing significant damage and disruption to cities, islands, and rural areas.
Severe weather has recently impacted many regions in Greece, with the most prominent feature being strong storm winds that brought serious damage and chaos to various urban and rural areas. As the sea overflowed onto multiple shores, it flooded roads, beaches, and coastal businesses, highlighting the immediate impact on local infrastructure. In Thessaloniki, wind speeds reached 80 km/h, leading to waves inundating the waterfront, causing accidents and significant inconveniences for the local population.
The intense winds led to trees being uprooted in central streets, such as Monastiriou and Kalou, where one fallen tree damaged two vehicles, illustrating the storm's destructive capacity. The local airport, "Macedonia," also experienced disruptions, including flight cancellations due to the adverse weather conditions. The Hellenic Fire Service reported an overwhelming response, receiving over 650 emergency calls throughout the day and conducting numerous operations, including 53 tree removals, 32 of which occurred in Thessaloniki alone, indicating the scale of the emergency response needed to mitigate safety hazards.
By Wednesday evening, conditions in Central Macedonia began to improve as wind intensity decreased, suggesting a gradual return to normalcy. However, the storms have left a mark, emphasizing the vulnerability of both urban and rural communities to severe weather events, and the ongoing challenges they face regarding infrastructure resilience and disaster preparedness in the face of climate change, which may lead to more such incidents in the future.
