Severe storms flood Crete, prompting massive rescue and relief operations

Crete has suffered extensive damage from a recent storm, with Anogeia flooded and Zonia's roads rendered unusable. The National Observatory of Athens' network recorded 420 mm of rain in Xyloskalos, Chania, equivalent to 420 tonnes per hectare. A 90-year-old resident of Zonia expressed disbelief at the scale of the event, attempting to clear water with a vacuum cleaner.

Ongoing operations by Civil Protection, the army and fire services have included 96 water-pumping actions and the relocation of 101 individuals to safety. The Lasithi Plateau is completely submerged, converting arable land into marshes and preventing farmers from reaching their fields. Additional evacuations were carried out in Ferma and Koutsounari, moving 47 people from hotels and tourist accommodations. While the weather is expected to ease, authorities remain on heightened alert.