Severe weather

Storm Byron has caused significant disruption across southern Greece, with severe impacts reported in multiple areas of the Attica region, including Megara, Nea Peramos, and Mandra. Roads have flooded, trees have fallen, and local authorities have issued warnings for residents to move from basements and ground floors to higher levels due to the risk of flash floods.In response to the storm, all schools and kindergartens in Athens remain closed today. Other regions affected include parts of Thessaly, the Peloponnese, Central Greece, and the Dodecanese, where educational institutions have also suspended classes. The Interior Ministry confirmed that civil servants unable to reach their workplaces may be absent without penalty.Firefighters have been heavily engaged, responding to hundreds of calls to pump water from flooded areas, remove fallen trees, and assist residents in distress. The heaviest rainfall was recorded in Attica and the Peloponnese, with Glyfada reporting 120 mm of rain in just six hours overnight and a total of 250 mm over 24 hours.Intense thunderstorms have additionally affected the Cyclades islands in the Aegean Sea. Traffic police reported multiple road closures in the Attica region due to flooding and debris. On the Peloponnese peninsula, a river near Finikounda overflowed, endangering local residents. Fire services rescued two German tourists trapped in a flooded caravan, as well as two Hungarian homeowners facing similar risks. Even the local mayor had to abandon his car to avoid the floodwaters.Meteorologists expect the storm’s precipitation to move north and east today, with the heaviest rainfall forecast for Pieria, Imathia, Halkidiki, Thessaly, the Sporades islands, the eastern Aegean, and the Dodecanese. Residents in these areas are urged to remain vigilant as dangerous conditions persist.