Severe thunderstorms swept across western Greece on Tuesday causing flash flooding, power outages, and tragically claiming the lives of two people struck by lightning.
The storms hit the Ionian islands of Kefalonia and Ithaca, as well as western Peloponnese in the area of Messinia, causing mudslides in some areas. The heavy weather was expected to move eastward and to ease up by Wednesday morning.
The Athens national observatory’s Zeus system recorded more than 10,500 lightning bolts by 1000 GMT, more than half over the sea. Lightning struck a palm tree in Kefalonia, causing a fire in a residential area.
The violent weather resulted in the property being damaged mainly in the city of Pyrgos and on the village of Agia Efthimia on Kefalonia island, with locals frequently being affected by storms.
Local fire services and rescue teams from Sami arrived on the scene to try and assist business owners and locals, whose homes and shops were flooded with water.
*Image credit: Tasos Kavallieratos/vlahatasamis.blogspot.com
