Greek hit by flash floods

In Greece, four people have died and one other is missing after heavy downpours caused flash flooding from Thessaloniki in the North East, all the way to Sparta in the South. In the North West, a Romanian woman and her two children were rescued.

V-Shape thunderstorms are affecting the Gulf of Thermaikos in N Greece just south of Thessaloniki and along the… https://t.co/2LqgbfbBpB— Meteo Europe (@Meteo_Europe) September 7, 2016

Dramatic rescue of bus passengers trapped in floods (video, picts) https://t.co/CaoyLq2pyp— Keep Talking Greece (@keeptalkingGR) September 7, 2016

One elderly woman feared for her life. She told reporters: “I was all alone, the water came up to my chest. I was shaking. I am disabled, and I couldn’t open the door. I couldn’t even find the keys to open it and let the water out. I was sleeping in my bed, and I was soaked, soaked. I almost drowned.”

At least three of the victims were elderly or vulnerable. The floods destroyed homes and businesses, and washed cars out to sea.

GREECE-A car washed away into sea is pictured following floods in Agia Triada near Thessaloniki. By SakisMitrolidis pic.twitter.com/B9ONJqO6lt— Frédérique Geffard (fgeffardAFP) September 7, 2016

The Mayor of Kalamata told Reuters that he had “never seen anything like it,” adding: “About 140 mm of rain fell in an hour this morning. Can you imagine that?.”

More pictures of the destructive floods that hit the Peloponnese yesterday. There are simply no words. #Greece pic.twitter.com/bZR6fsTW2i— The Greek Analyst (@GreekAnalyst) September 7, 2016

There are also reports that the extreme weather may also have affected a boat of 300 migrants who are at sea between Italy and Greece. The Italian and Greek coastguards are working together to try and locate the boat.