Greece: Fire ravaged island of Evia hit by floods, mudslides; dozens evacuated

As many as 100 people were rescued during the emergency evacuations from across several "rain battered villages" in the Greek island of Evia on Sunday, October 10, as heavy downpours and thunderstorms wreaked havoc in the region. The property sustained significant damages as torrential rains swept through the island coupled with wet front over the weekend in the areas previously impacted by the ravaging wildfires in summers, Greek national news agency AMNA reported. Both northern and central Greece had been buffeted with rainstorms and torrential rain for the last couple of months, resulting in casualties. The youngest victim included an eight-month-old baby that dies in the village of Politika as flash flooding damaged roads, and uprooted homes and livelihood. 

Several homes have so far submerged completely in the rainwater. The fire crew and the rescue workers have been leading the evacuation missions and collecting bodies from affected areas, according to several local media reports. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at a press briefing had expressed"profound pain for the loss of lives”. The leader had ordered the anti-flooding control and rescue staff to conduct the operations in areas ruined by storms, wildfires, and mudslides since August 20.

[A man stands on a flooded road at Agia Anna village, following a flood on the northern part of Evia island, Greece. The wildfires that destroyed a third of the island's forests in early August have loosened the topsoil and several communities are at risk from flooding. Credit: AP Photo/Thodoris Nikolaou]

[A woman stands at the yard of her house at Achladi village following a flood on the northern part of Evia island. Credit: AP]

Greece has suffered several incidents of severe flooding in recent years that have caused extensive damage to the infrastructure and homes of people in rural settings. Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) had approved close to a €70 million loan to the Greek government for initiating its rebuilding efforts and instating the anti-flood measures in the regions of Attica, Central Macedonia, and the Peloponnese, last year. The said areas were completely battered due to heavy flooding. 

Rebuilding efforts 'might take time,' says Gov. 

Despite several flood prevention schemes, the Greek government has been unsuccessful in mitigating the damages in the flood-prone areas such as highly vulnerable regions of Attica, Central Macedonia, and the Peloponnese. In August, the storm Athena caused severe damages to the property as “dozens of homes flooded as torrents burst their banks (even though) the rain only lasted a couple of hours,” Greek meteorologists reported. The road network between coastal villages of Agia Anna and Psaropouli was in upheaval, an official had told state broadcaster ERT. Governor of Central Greece Fanis Spanos, on Sunday, stated that the rebuilding efforts might take time even when the administration deployed the missions in August. Deputy Civil Protection Minister Nikos Hardalias earlier told state reporters that Greeks were “faced with phenomena that we haven't experienced before.” 

[A destroyed road leading to the beach of Agia Anna village, following a flood on the northern part of Evia island, Greece. Credit: AP]

[A destroyed playground is pictured at Achladi village following a flood on the northern part of Evia island. Credit: AP]

[Mud covers the yard of a restaurant at Achladi village following a flood on the northern part of Evia island. Credit: AP]