Powerful Storm Elias Batters Central Greece, Leaving Homes Flooded and Power Outages

VOLOS, Greece — Central Greece faced the wrath of yet another devastating storm, with the city of Volos bearing the brunt of it, as roads vanished, bridges crumbled, and homes were overwhelmed with floodwaters.

Elias, the storm in question, inundated Volos, leaving several trapped in surrounding mountainous regions. The fire department undertook numerous rescue missions and evacuations. Furthermore, a search is underway for a private helicopter pilot who disappeared amidst the storm.

Volos Mayor Achilleas Beos described the situation, saying, “Volos is practically submerged. The safety of our residents is at stake. I was trapped myself and a majority of the city, around 80%, has lost power. The amount of water we're seeing is biblical, reminiscent of Noah's Ark.”

The region had recently experienced a storm that claimed 16 lives and inflicted damages exceeding 2 billion euros to both agriculture and infrastructure.

In response, military and local teams rushed to the waterlogged areas, ensuring the safe evacuation of the affected, especially the elderly, using makeshift means like dinghies and excavator buckets.

Local residents, like 83-year-old Apostolis Dafereras, endeavored to clear their homes of mud and safeguard their possessions. Dafereras, a resident since 1955, remarked, “I've never witnessed such devastation,” as he observed floodwaters surging past his residence.

The most severe destruction was noted in and around Volos, and the northern regions of the neighboring island of Evia. The latter was particularly susceptible due to significant wildfires from two years prior.

In light of the recent calamities, the European Union has committed to granting Greece over 2 billion euros to address the damages from the wildfires and ongoing floods. Concurrently, Athens is reevaluating other financial aid agreements to focus more on adapting to climate change.

Addressing the Parliament, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis acknowledged the recurrent storms afflicting Volos. He attributed these disasters to climate change and pledged to elevate infrastructure standards. However, several flood victims in Volos expressed their frustration, resentful that their properties were jeopardized yet again.

City dweller, Pantos Pinakas, criticized the response, stating, “The approach wasn't just amateurish. It was dangerously negligent.”