In a relentless onslaught, severe rainstorms have unleashed havoc across the neighboring nations of Greece, Turkey, and Bulgaria, resulting in catastrophic flooding that has claimed at least seven lives. Among the victims were two holidaymakers swept away by a ferocious torrent at a campsite in northwestern Turkey.
Ali Yerlikaya, Turkey’s Interior Minister, reported that four individuals remain missing following the flash flood that struck the Kirklareli province, near the Bulgarian border. Approximately 12 vacationers were present when the deluge struck, and search teams have located two bodies, according to his Twitter statement, while the quest continues unabated for the missing four.
Television broadcasts captured the harrowing scenes of rescuers plucking a young girl and an adult from the waters, which in some areas reached waist-high. The torrential rains also inflicted damage and forced the closure of a major roadway, as reported by Habertürk TV.
In Turkey’s largest metropolis, Istanbul, the deluge led to inundated streets and homes in two neighborhoods, resulting in a minimum of two fatalities. A dozen individuals were successfully rescued after becoming stranded inside a library, while certain subway stations were shuttered. Governor Davut Gül issued an urgent advisory for motorcyclists to remain at home.
Meanwhile, in Greece, authorities were compelled to impose traffic restrictions in the central town of Volos, the adjacent mountainous Pelion region, and the idyllic resort island of Skiathos, as record-breaking rainfall claimed at least one life, with torrents reaching thigh-high levels, sweeping away vehicles.
The fire department reported a tragic incident in which a man lost his life near Volos after a collapsing wall struck him. Five individuals were also reported missing, possibly carried away by the raging floodwaters.
As a precautionary measure, mobile phone alerts were dispatched to residents in various other areas of central Greece, the Sporades island chain, and the island of Evia, advising them to curtail their outdoor activities.
Throughout the Pelion region, streams overflowed their banks, causing automobiles to plunge into the sea, roads to be obstructed by rockfalls, small bridges to be carried away, and widespread power outages. A retirement home in Volos was evacuated to ensure the safety of its residents.
Greece’s meteorological service disclosed that a village in the Pelion region was inundated with a staggering 75.4 centimeters (almost 30 inches) of rainfall late on Tuesday, a record-breaking figure not witnessed since at least 2006. It is worth noting that the average annual precipitation in the Athens region amounts to approximately 40 centimeters.
Vassilis Kikilias, Greece’s Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, conveyed that the deluge was anticipated to abate after midday on Wednesday. He implored residents in affected regions to remain indoors and exercise caution.
This tempestuous storm arrives on the heels of a series of catastrophic summer wildfires that swept through Greece in recent weeks, some of which raged for over a fortnight, laying waste to vast expanses of forests and farmland, and claiming the lives of more than 20 individuals.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis attributes both the wildfires and the ferocious storms to the ominous specter of climate change. He candidly admitted that his center-right government’s management of the wildfire crisis had fallen short of expectations. He asserted, “I am afraid that the careless summers, as we knew them … will cease to exist and from now on the coming summers are likely to be ever more difficult.”
Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov of Bulgaria reported two casualties and three individuals missing after a violent storm unleashed flooding on the southern Black Sea coast of the country.
Overflowing rivers inflicted extensive damage to roads and bridges, leading to power outages and a public health advisory against consuming tap water due to contamination from the floodwaters.
As fierce winds generated two-meter waves crashing onto tourist resort beaches amid relentless downpours, TV footage captured cars and camper vans being swept out to sea, particularly in the hardest-hit southern resort town of Tsarevo. Consequently, authorities declared a state of emergency in Tsarevo and urged residents to seek refuge on upper floors, as ground-level areas of several hotels succumbed to flooding.
As these catastrophic events continue to unfold, the imperative of addressing the root causes of these natural disasters and their devastating consequences on human lives and infrastructure has never been more apparent. It serves as a resounding call to action, compelling societies to unite in their efforts to combat the effects of climate change and fortify their resilience against the increasing ferocity of extreme weather events.
source,AP
