Severe storm leaves widespread damage across Crete
A government delegation is traveling to Crete on Monday to assess the damage and identify urgent needs in the hardest-hit areas.
A meeting with local authorities and other officials will be held at the headquarters of the Region of Crete, followed by visits to affected areas in Mylopotamos in central Crete, Ierapetra in the southeast and the Lasithi Plateau in the east.
The storm has hit the Lasithi Plateau particularly hard, with heavy rainfall inundating large areas and leaving them covered in tons of mud. Authorities estimate that the amount of rain that fell in a short period was roughly equivalent to the rainfall that the wider Attica region, which includes Athens, receives over two years.
Rural roads have suffered extensive damage, while potato fields, vegetable crops and other agricultural production have been badly affected. In some areas, farmers and residents have been unable to reach their properties to assess the extent of the damage.
Damage assessments are expected to begin once floodwaters recede. Farmers are expected to seek emergency aid and compensation measures similar to those introduced after Storm Daniel, which caused widespread flooding and destruction in central Greece in September 2023.
Livestock losses in Zoniana
Severe damage has also been reported in Zoniana, a mountain village on the slopes of Mount Psiloritis in central Crete, where a local river burst its banks.
Floodwater, mud and debris blocked streams and drainage channels, turning roads into torrents. Residents reportedly demolished bridges and sections of retaining walls along streams to give the floodwater an outlet.
Riverbank walls collapsed and sections of road subsided, while homes, yards and sidewalks were also damaged.
The livestock sector suffered major losses. Dozens of animals were swept away by floodwaters on the slopes of Psiloritis and found dead, while farmers said they had lost hundreds of animals, many of which remain missing.
Landslides and extensive damage to rural roads have also made several areas inaccessible.
Schools closed in Amari
All primary and secondary schools in the municipality of Amari, in central Crete, will remain closed Monday for safety reasons as severe weather continues to affect the area.
Damage to the road network has also caused significant disruption to travel.
Eight stranded in Samaria Gorge
Meanwhile, efforts to reach eight people stranded in the Samaria Gorge, one of Crete’s most popular hiking destinations, remain on hold because of dangerous water levels and strong currents following continued rainfall.
The group is experienced and remains calm, according to the latest information, and includes a doctor. They have medication and sufficient supplies and remain in contact with authorities and the outside world by phone, internet and satellite communications.
They have been instructed not to move while the water remains fast-flowing. Once conditions improve and access is deemed safe, a rescue team is expected to approach from Xyloskalo, the main access point to the gorge, and escort them to safety.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a social media post Sunday that the government would stand by those affected and take the necessary measures to deal with the storm’s aftermath.
Kathimerini
