Severe flooding and extreme weather conditions swept across large parts of Greece on Wednesday, 21 January, causing widespread damage, major disruption to infrastructure, and leaving two people dead. The hardest-hit areas were in Attica, where torrential rainfall overwhelmed drainage systems and turned roads into rivers.
Authorities confirmed that a 56-year-old woman was killed on Wednesday in Ano Glyfada after being swept away by fast-moving floodwaters and trapped beneath a vehicle while attempting to cross a road. In a separate incident the same day in Astros Kynourias, a 53-year-old coast guard officer lost his life while on duty after a powerful wave knocked him over as he worked to secure boats at a pier.
By Thursday, emergency services were continuing efforts to clear debris and reopen roads blocked by rocks, mud and floodwater, while firefighters assisted motorists and residents trapped in inundated homes.
Athens public transport operator OASA announced emergency measures and temporary changes to bus services, with several routes modified or partially suspended to ensure passenger safety.
The fire brigade reported a surge in emergency calls across Attica, receiving hundreds of requests for assistance. Firefighters were required to intervene in at least 11 cases to rescue residents trapped in flooded homes in Glyfada, Paiania and Vari, while a further 364 calls related to flooding inside residences.
In total, the Fire Brigade’s Operations Centre received more than 910 calls for assistance across the Attica region, including 318 requests to pump out floodwaters, 32 calls to remove fallen trees, 61 requests to relocate people to safety, and 10 incidents involving the removal of hazardous objects.
The most severe impacts were recorded in Glyfada, Vari, Voula and Vouliagmeni, while overflowing streams in Aspropyrgos and Rafina forced nearby residents to evacuate as a precaution.
According to Meteo.gr meteorological stations, rainfall totals exceeded 115 millimetres in areas such as Vyronas, Halandri and Ambelokipi by 7.30pm on Wednesday, while Papagou recorded more than 146 millimetres.
Heavy rain also caused major disruptions to public transport, with police imposing emergency traffic measures and interruptions reported on metro and tram services. Several roads across Attica remained closed on Thursday morning, including sections in Nea Makri, the coastal road in Oropos and Anixi Road in Athens.
Meanwhile, a tanker at the Perama shipyard that had begun listing after water entered its hull due to rough seas was fully stabilised on Thursday morning.
Meteorologists warned that further severe weather was forecast for Thursday, mainly affecting the Aegean, with strong south-easterly winds expected to reach 8 to 10 on the Beaufort scale.
