Heavy rain hit the northern capital of Greece, Thessaloniki, turning streets into rivers, sweeping away cars, flooding houses and shops, and even the city’s landmark – the White Tower. Power outages were recorded in many retail outlets.
The rain began around midnight Sunday and stopped early Monday morning.
The fire department received more than 540 calls to pump out water, fallen trees and rescue motorists stuck in the seething waters.
The biggest problems are recorded in the city center, as well as in the municipalities of Oreokastro and Pavlos Melas. In most cases, when the fire department was called, pumping was no longer required, since the water level was already falling by that time.
According to media reports, the subway on Makrigianni street in Iliupoli has been closed since 3 am, as it was once again flooded.
In the area of military hospital 424, the underground overpass leading to Filiro is closed to traffic. Subsidence occurred on several major roads, and some roads were closed to traffic due to fallen trees.
In Saykis, a parked car was swept away by a swift current and literally driven into the window of a fish shop, which was closed at the time. Part of the traffic lights were turned off throughout the city, and drivers were required to drive at these points with caution.
On Monday at noon, several areas remain without electricity, and DEDHE distribution network crews are trying to solve the problem.
It was the second heavy rain in Thessaloniki in three days, and local residents complained to AntiTV: “Every day they come to open our flooded shops, and the municipality is missing.”
#Θεσσαλονίκη: #Διανομέας παρασύρεται από την #πλημμύρα. Ντροπή σας! Σε δήμαρχο, περιφέρεια, κρατικούς φορείς, εργοδοσία, “πελάτες”. ‼️Οι ζωές των εργατών μετράνε! Αγώνας παντού! #antireport #βροχή #κυβερνηση #μεσαιωνας pic.twitter.com/1rMFxGKH2H
— Μένουμε Ενεργοί – Υγεία, Συλλογικότητα, Αλληλεγγύη (@Covid19energoi) September 2, 2022
Video: A courier risks his life on duty during rain and flooding in Thessaloniki on Friday 2 September.
Local media noted that “no warning message from the Civil Protection Service will save the city from state indifference.”
Flooding was also recorded in Volos and Kozani.
Civil Protection warned of adverse weather on Sunday evening by sending an SMS message to the emergency number <112>. She called on the citizens of Thessaloniki, Chalkidiki, Imathia and Magnesia to avoid “unnecessary travel” for the next 24 hours.
The National Weather Service issued a weather warning – details here – September 5th. The phenomena were expected to gradually ease from Monday afternoon to Tuesday noon. Until then, however, heavy rainfall is expected in Central Macedonia.
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