October 4, 2024

Athens News

News in English from Greece

More than 15,000 lightning strikes sparked 62 wildfires on Thursday


There have been 62 fires in the last 24 hours, most of them because of lightning during a powerful atmospheric front that raged across Greece on Thursday, the fire brigade said.

More than 15,000 lightning strikes occurred across the country in nine hours, 1,200 of them in Athens and Attica before 6 p.m., said Kostas Lagouvardos, scientific director of the National Observatory of Athens.

Agioi Theodoroi, western Attica, Thursday afternoon.


Of the 62 fires caused by lightning, 52 were extinguished in the initial stage, while firefighters fought 10 more for several hours. Civil Protection reported that eight fires broke out within three hours in Sounion (Legrena), Vilia, Lavrion, Dionyssos, Marathonas, Epidavros, Delphi and Lesvos. The Fire Brigade reported that aerial firefighting equipment was working in the following areas, mainly in forests: Vilia, Sounion, Lavrion, Dionyssos, Marathonas, Delphi, Epidavros and Lesvos.

Hail fell in Agios Stefanos, while Varibombi, Ekali and Tatoi experienced heavy but fortunately short-lived rainfall on Thursday around 1pm. Thunderstorms also occurred in Spata, Pallini, Ippokratio and Rafina.

Let us recall that the warning about dangerous weather conditions was transmitted by number 112 in Attica.

The fire brigade received a total of 86 calls due to heavy rains and storms that hit Attica and Central Macedonia on Thursday. According to a statement from the fire brigade, most of the calls were related to water pumping work, with the largest number in Attica.

Civil Protection also issued recommendations urging citizens to exercise caution and take self-protection measures to reduce the risks associated with severe weather.

The General Secretariat for Civil Protection (civilprotection.gov.gr) of the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection has contacted all relevant state institutions, regions and municipalities. These organizations have been put on high alert to ensure a rapid and effective response to the challenges posed by weather conditions.





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