The fatal victim was a 50-year-old man, who was trapped in his car when the water swept over him. It happened in the coastal town of Agia Pelagia, about 25 kilometers from the island’s capital, Heraklion.
According to the fire service, at least nine cars were towed into the water. A woman was rescued from a car that washed up at sea. The Coast Guard was called in to assist in the search for missing persons. Emergency services received hundreds of calls from people wanting to be evacuated or in a flooded house.
Footage from local media shows that streets in coastal towns have turned into rivers and the abundance of water has wreaked havoc.
High winds hampered rescue and search work, Greek newspaper Kathimerini reported. Heraklion Airport is closed due to severe weather. The government urged Crete residents not to go out on the road and to stay indoors as much as possible. Many roads on the island have become impassable. There will also be a risk of landslides.
Rhodes and Kos
Heavy rain arrived yesterday unexpectedly. Severe weather continues today. The area around the coastal city of Heraklion on the northern coast of Crete was particularly affected.
According to meteorologists, the storm is on its way to the east. Authorities warned residents of the Dodecanese archipelago of bad weather via text message. The islands of Rhodes, Kos, Patmos and Karpathos, where many Dutch vacationers traditionally go, are part of the Dodecanese.
