In Greece, Bulgaria, and Turkey, record-breaking rainfall has resulted in flash floods that have claimed the lives of at least 22 individuals.
Over the past week, the body of a 77-year-old man was discovered in central Greece, bringing the confirmed death toll in the region to 11, with an additional six people reported missing. Officials have expressed concerns that the number of casualties will continue to rise.
The man, who resided in the village of Paltsi on the mountainous Pelion peninsula, refused to evacuate despite his wife's pleas. Unfortunately, his body was found in the Aegean Sea after drifting from Paltsi to the island of Evia.
The Pelion peninsula experienced heavy rain on Tuesday, with some areas receiving almost 76cm of rain in less than 24 hours. The rest of the Thessaly region, located to the west, was struck by the downpour on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
In a desperate attempt to strengthen flood defenses against a rising river, a village close to Larissa, a major Greek city, was ordered to evacuate on Saturday. Rescue teams have been working tirelessly to evacuate residents who have become stranded due to flooding in different parts of Thessaly.
Concerns are growing that the Pineios river, which is already overflowing, could flood Larissa, a city of approximately 150,000 people. In response, authorities have placed thousands of bags filled with sand and pebbles along the river's banks and have opened up diversion channels to the west of the city.
The response of state and local authorities to the recent disaster has come under scrutiny, following criticism about their handling of previous emergencies such as devastating wildfires. According to reports, the rescue efforts for the recent floods were severely delayed, leaving people stranded on the rooftops of their flooded homes until Thursday. Greek daily newspaper Kathimerini revealed that out of the Air Force's 12 search-and-rescue helicopters, only four are operational due to cannibalization for spare parts or prolonged periods of being grounded.
As the affected regions continue to cope with the aftermath of the floods, efforts are underway to improve disaster response and address the infrastructure vulnerabilities that have contributed to the severity of these events.
