Storms flood Western Greece; Regions declare emergency
Severe storms swept across Western Greece and Epirus late Friday, triggering floods, landslides and widespread damage to homes, roads and farmland. Several municipalities have been placed under a state of emergency as authorities work to restore access and assess the destruction.
In the coastal municipality of Vonitsa–Aktio in Aitoloakarnania, heavy rainfall flooded basements and ground-floor homes, damaged bridges and forced road closures. Vonitsa Mayor Athanasios Kasolas described the situation as “very difficult,” adding that the fire brigade carried out rescues for residents trapped by rising waters. Strong winds also caused problems in parts of Ilia, where trees fell onto the old Patras–Pyrgos national road.
Epirus was among the worst-hit regions. Rising rivers damaged infrastructure in North Tzoumerka, including the Bailey bridge over the Arachthos River, cutting access to the Ioannina–Pramanta road. Landslides left several villages isolated, while power and water supply disruptions were reported. Flooding on the Filippiada plain caused extensive damage to kiwi crops, and torrents split the villages of Kleisoura and Ammotopos in two.
Deputy Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Kostas Katsafados visited affected areas, including parts of Corfu, where homes and businesses suffered significant damage. He said compensation procedures would be activated immediately and that Civil Protection teams were working to clear debris and reopen roads.
Following requests from local authorities, a state of emergency has been declared in municipalities across the regional units of Ioannina, Arta, Kastoria, Thesprotia, and Preveza.
