Heavy rainfall on Thursday night and early Friday morning has caused widespread disruption across Kefalonia, leaving families trapped in vehicles, flooding homes and streets, and triggering landslides and debris flows.
The region of Livathous, in the southern part of the island, bore the brunt of the extreme weather conditions, with significant damage reported to the road network, transport links, and infrastructure. According to local media, parents and children were trapped in their cars, while many drivers were stranded for hours as they attempted to leave the area.
Traffic was severely disrupted, with vehicles arriving from Kyllini being forced to take a longer detour through Sami to reach Argostoli. Some residents were also compelled to find alternative routes to reach the island’s capital.
The situation was particularly dire in Karouza, where landslides once again blocked roads, prompting emergency crews from the regional authority to work on clearing access routes. The Argostoli-Poros road was rendered impassable near Vlachata, close to the local cemetery, due to land subsidence and water accumulation.
In Poros, the Bohynas River posed a serious flood risk, with concerns it might overflow. However, as the rainfall intensity decreased, water levels began to recede, alleviating the immediate danger. Nonetheless, the Poros-Skala road remained heavily obstructed by tons of mud and large stones that had dislodged from the slopes, making passage impossible.
Further reports indicated that homes in the Peratata area were inundated, leaving residents struggling to cope with the devastation. In the village of Kolaiti, a significant section of the road collapsed near a residence, causing additional disruption.
Meanwhile, in Svoronata and Metaxata, torrents of water surged through the streets, submerging yards and flooding at least two homes. Residents are making desperate efforts to protect their properties, while uncertainty looms over the coming hours as they await further developments.
Authorities are urging caution and remain on high alert as the region recovers from the severe weather conditions.