The death toll from this week’s severe storm front in central Greece reached 10 on Friday, authorities announced, while another four are still missing in Mt. Pelion region near the hard-hit port city of Volos.
Widespread and deep flooding affected a large portion of the Thessaly plain, Greece’s “bread basket”, with entire villages and towns under water, including parts of the central city of Larissa.
Flooding from the Pinios River and its tributaries was the main cause, given that the waterway is the only drainage outlet for Thessaly, which is surrounded by mountains and higher ground.
Emergency crews and military units on the ground with boats and four-wheel vehicles and up to 20 helicopters had carried out some 1,700 rescues, while evacuations were ordered for dozens of residential areas.
Meanwhile during his tour of the flood-ravaged of Volos, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said restoring water supply to the municipality is a main priority, with the rescue of stranded people in several Mt. Pelion villages also a priority for the specific region.
Mitsotakis and a delegation of top government officials subsequently met with local authorities in Larissa, where the main problem is still floodwaters, lack of power and drinking water.
Rainfall from the storm “Daniel” is being compared with all previous data in order to declare it the worst rainfall on record for a single day or 48 hours.
Larissa and areas on either side of the swollen Pinios River may see even higher floodwaters in the coming period due to draining waters from through the entire Thessaly plain.
The highest level of the specific river had been recorded at six meters, with one reading on Friday citing a level exceeding nine meters
