Deadly Rhodes Floods Sweep Cars Into Sea, Emergency Requested

Flash floods tore through the Greek island of Rhodes on October 14, turning roads into rivers, sweeping cars into the sea and killing a 62-year-old hotel worker. Local officials asked for a state-of-emergency declaration as rescue crews moved through flooded towns. The Rhodes floods came with an extreme burst of rainfall: the National Observatory of Athens recorded 264 millimetres at its station on the island by 12:50 local time, including 202 millimetres in just six and a half hours.

The observatory said the storms concentrated over northern Rhodes and carried intense electrical activity. It called the totals very high, though not record-breaking.

The man who died worked at a hotel. Floodwater swept his car into the sea near Stegna, a village on the island's east coast about 20 miles from the town of Rhodes. Residents told the MEGA TV channel that he had gone out to retrieve his car as torrents of water rushed down a hillside, and his body was later found among reeds and debris. The Greek Coast Guard said four vehicles were swept into the sea during the storm, Reuters reported, and confirmed that the man was found unconscious in the waters off Stegna. More on the rescue response is in this detailed account of the Stegna recovery effort.

Crews carried out more than 30 rescue and extrication operations and more than 200 water-pumping interventions, according to regional authorities. The fire service said it received 113 calls on Rhodes by four in the afternoon, completed 64 water-pumping operations and evacuated 13 people. Mayor Alexandros Koliadis told residents not to cross flooded roads or streams, by car or on foot.

Emergency declaration sought

Koliadis asked the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection to declare a state of emergency, pointing to extensive damage to roads and property, as this report on the mayor's emergency request documents. Greece's public broadcaster ERT reported on October 15 that the declaration was still being requested, though some local outlets had earlier said it was already in place. Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Evangelos Tournas said the wind and rain brought down trees, flooded streets and knocked out power in many areas.

Maritime links were disrupted as well: the Hellenic Coast Guard halted commercial ferry sailings out of Piraeus and Lavrio amid gale-force winds, according to the travel advisory site NomadLawyer.

Seven regions went under code red weather warnings, including Crete, Attica, Evia and the South Aegean. In Evia, north-east of Athens, overflowing rivers caused extensive flooding and serious road damage. A national emergency alert told residents and visitors to avoid unnecessary travel. Cyprus went under an orange alert, with forecasters warning of violent thunderstorms, strong gusts and hail.

Island braces for more rain

Traffic was halted on the Archangelos-Malona road after a large boulder fell onto the carriageway, damaging the surface and safety barriers, and a bridge near Archangelos closed as a precaution. Dozens of cars were left stranded on the Rhodes to Lindos road and across Ialysos, the town of Rhodes, Afandou, Faliraki and Archangelos. A lightning strike set a house on fire in Ialysos and briefly knocked a regional ERT station off the air.

Major tourist attractions shut from early afternoon as a precaution, including the archaeological sites of Lindos and Kamiros, the Acropolis of Ialysos-Filerimos, the Archaeological Museum of Rhodes and the Palace of the Grand Master, according to the Greek outlet Protothema. Schools and municipal sports facilities stayed closed, and some bus services were suspended. Residents and visitors were urged to restrict travel to essential journeys.

Forecasters expected heavy rain and thunderstorms to continue across eastern and southern Greece into the evening, with powerful northerly and northeasterly winds sweeping the Aegean. Floodwater carries debris and contaminants through waterways; a recent study showed that plastic in drinking water isn't inert. The same week, wildfire conditions around Malibu, California, forced evacuations as winds built. Authorities told residents and visitors to keep following official alerts while cleanup and damage assessments continue.