A popular Greek island has faced the brunt of Storm Agneta, triggering severe flooding and stay-at-home warnings.
The Hellenic National Meteorological Service (EMY) issued an orange weather warning on Monday covering the Dodecanese islands – including parts of Rhodes – as well as the Ionian islands and Epirus.
The alert for Rhodes is in place until “evening hours”, the weather agency said in an emergency weather deterioration bulletin.
Reports suggest the heavy rainfall is starting to subside, but EMY has issued an orange alert in the Dodecanese from Tuesday morning until the afternoon.
Rhodes hit with severe floods
According to local media, residents were sent an emergency warning at around 3.30am on Monday as the storm battered parts of the island with torrential rain.
It is reported that some residents were forced to take refuge on rooftops overnight as torrential rain transformed streets into fast-flowing rivers – with at least 60 vehicles being swept away in powerful currents.
Homes and shops were also flooded, while rescue operations had to be carried out for residents.
The Independent Civil Protection Office of the Municipality of Rhodes has recommended that all residents stay in their home and avoid any “unnecessary movement”.
“Do not approach rivers, streams, crossings and coastal areas,” it adds. “Do not attempt to cross roads where there is an accumulated amount of water or mud.”
School closures have also been announced in several regions, including Lindos, South Rhodes, Archangelos and Afantou.
At the time of writing, Rhodes Airport has not announced any warnings over delayed or cancelled flights.
Flash floods return to Greece
The flooding comes just weeks after flash floods triggered chaos in Greece and Turkey, causing at least three deaths.
A 62-year-old man died in Rhodes on 14 October after a torrent of water swept his car onto a beach during a heavy rainstorm on the tourist island, authorities said.
The man's body was found near a small seaside village about 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the town of Rhodes, while four cars had been washed away due to the severe weather, the coast guard said in a statement.
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