Severe storms cause widespread damage on Greece’s northeastern islands

ATHENS, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) — Heavy rainfall and hailstorms swept across Greece’s northeastern Aegean islands over the past 24 hours, causing extensive flooding and major damage to homes, businesses, and crops, local authorities said on Tuesday.

On Lesvos Island, the town of Kalloni was among the hardest hit, with streets, houses, and dozens of shops submerged after the Tsiknias River overflowed. Floodwaters reached up to 1.3 meters in some areas, while emergency crews worked for hours to pump water from buildings.

Local officials said the flooding was worsened by debris blocking a nearby bridge. The historic Kremasti Bridge also sustained damage when floodwaters carried a large shipping container into it.

On Samos Island, a powerful overnight storm brought torrential rain and hailstones “the size of small walnuts,” officials said. The severe weather flooded homes and damaged roads, while heavy hail destroyed olive crops at the height of the harvest season.

Local authorities have requested emergency financial aid from the government to repair infrastructure and support affected farmers.

Greece has experienced an increasing number of extreme weather events in recent years, which scientists link to climate change.