Greece storm: Floods ravage homes sparking mass evacuation days after storm killed seven
DOZENS have been evacuated from their flooded homes western Greece, just days after seven people were killed by a violent storm in the north of the country.
Greece: HUGE storm strikes busy bar in Halkidiki
Such severe storms are unusual in Greece, where summers are usually hot and dry. Floods following the latest storm damaged roads near the cities of Nafpaktos and Patra, closing a major route for a few hours. A fire service official said: "Homes and shops are flooded near the city of Nafpaktos. There are damages to homes, shops and cars."
No injuries or missing persons have been reported.
The mass evacuation comes after seven people, including six tourists, were killed and more than 100 others injured on Thursday when an overnight storm lashed northern Greece.
Over 100 people were injured in the violent tempest which whipped through the Halkidiki peninsula bearing 60mph winds.
Two elderly Czech tourists were killed when strong winds and water overturned their travel trailer, police said.
Homes and shops are flooded near the city of Nafpaktos. There is damage to homes, shops and cars
A woman and an eight-year-old boy from Romania were killed when a roof collapsed on a restaurant in the beach resort of Nea Plagia. And a man and a young boy, both Russians, died when a tree fell near their hotel in the seaside town of Potidea, authorities said.
Witnesses said the storm had come and gone in a matter of minutes.
Winds of over 60 mph were reported on the Halkidiki peninsula, popular with tourists in the summer.
Theodoros Karakostas, a professor of metereology and climatology at Aristotelion University, told the state Athens News Agency the storm was a "supercell.
He said: "It's a rare phenomenon."
Supercells are the least common kind of thunderstorm, but the most violent.
Nefeli Minovgidou, a Greek tourist, described the chaotic scenes
She said: "Chairs were flying everywhere, trees were falling. Everyone inside was screaming, it was chaos."
Streets in the area were dotted with uprooted pine trees and overturned motorcycles. Wooden rooftops were torn off and dumped on beaches.