Recent alarming visuals depict thoroughfares transformed into swiftly flowing waterways with vehicles being swept away by floods amidst heightened red weather alerts in a favored vacation spot for British tourists.
Officials in the Greek islands of Rhodes and Lemnos instated a state of emergency following the landfall of Storm Byron, resulting in two fatalities and extensive destruction. The severe conditions have now extended across a significant portion of the country, predominantly impacting the southern and eastern regions.
Areas currently under the highest alert include Attica, Central Macedonia (particularly Pieria, Imathia, Chalkidiki, and Thessaloniki), Thessaly, Central Greece, Peloponnese, Ionian Islands, North Aegean, South Aegean (with specific focus on Santorini/Thira and Rhodes), and Crete.
Emergency response teams, in collaboration with military forces and local authorities, have conducted numerous rescues of elderly residents in flood-stricken areas. The onslaught of fierce winds and torrential rain has led to overturned vehicles, power failures, and road damages. On Rhodes, murky floodwaters filled with debris can be observed coursing through streets and past shops. Further flash floods have occurred recently, with more rainfall anticipated.
Tragically, two individuals have lost their lives in a flooded village on Lemnos due to the impact of Storm Byron, while many others were evacuated and relocated to hotels in the island’s primary harbor.
Vassilis Kikilias, the minister overseeing climate crisis and civil protection, has urged residents in storm-affected areas to adhere to evacuation directives disseminated through mobile alerts. Kikilias emphasized the importance of heeding potentially exaggerated warnings to prevent calamitous outcomes.
The Municipality of Rhodes has announced the closure of schools on Friday due to severe storms and hazardous conditions. Officials have advised against unnecessary travel as rainfall is expected to intensify in the upcoming hours. Red warnings have been issued for Rhodes and other parts of Greece.
The Hellenic National Meteorological Service has indicated that the most severe impact of the storm is concentrated in the eastern and southern regions, encompassing the Cyclades, Dodecanese, and Crete. Wind gusts in the southeastern Aegean could reach 8–9 Beaufort levels on Friday.
An official statement from the agency states, “Prolonged heavy rains and storms are forecasted in various areas of the eastern and southern parts of the country today, Thursday (04-12-2025), through to the morning hours of Saturday (06-12-2025).
“The rainfall, in addition to its intensity, is expected to persist for an extended period. Severe weather events, accompanied by local hail and at times very strong winds, are anticipated in multiple areas.”
Meteorologists have warned of the potential for 200–250 tons of water per hectare to be discharged over parts of the country, posing a significant risk of widespread urban and rural devastation.
The storm has also reached Athens, causing similar havoc from flooding. Precautionary closures of schools have been implemented on several islands, including Symi, Hydra, Kythira, and Kastellorizo. Additionally, rockslides have necessitated the closure of a section of the national highway linking the towns of Sparta and Gytheio, both of which have experienced severe flooding.
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