site.btaStorm Erminio Causes One Death and Widespread Disruption in Greece

A man died in Greece as a result of Storm Erminio, which has affected various parts of the country with heavy rainfall, thunderstorms and strong winds, Skai television reported on Thursday.

In the early hours of Thursday morning, firefighters discovered and recovered the body of a man showing no signs of life from beneath a car in the area of Nea Makri, in the eastern part of Attica Region. Four firefighters and two vehicles took part in the rescue operation.

According to Skai, the victim was a man of Polish origin who lived in a basement flat. During the flooding, he went outside to assess the situation and was swept away by rising waters.

Local media report that Storm Erminio is causing serious disruption in various parts of Greece. In Attica Region, which includes the capital Athens, there have been numerous reports of flooded streets, inundated ground floors of homes and fallen trees. Multiple water-pumping operations have been carried out.

On Wednesday, residents of Attica received a message via the 112 early warning system advising them to avoid unnecessary travel and follow the instructions of the authorities. The warning was also sent to residents of the island of Rhodes.

At Heraklion Airport on the southern island of Crete, flight disruptions were reported due to low visibility caused by a wave of African dust originating from Libya and Egypt in North Africa. Several aircraft were diverted to other airports.

Due to the heavy rainfall, accompanied by strong gusts of wind, school classes were cancelled in several regions of the country. Disruptions to maritime transport were reported, with a number of ferry services suspended.

Weather conditions are expected to begin gradually stabilizing on Friday.