Man dies as flash floods strike Greek island of Rhodes

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 14 Oct, 22:32 · Archive

A 62-year-old hotel worker died on Rhodes after his car was swept into the sea by flash floodwaters.

A 62-year-old hotel worker died on the Greek island of Rhodes after his car was swept onto a beach by torrential floodwaters. The incident happened in Stegna, around 20 miles south of Rhodes Town, early on Wednesday afternoon. He had attempted to retrieve his car when surging floodwaters caught him, and his body was later found among reeds and debris on the beach.

The island was hit by exceptionally heavy rainfall. The National Observatory of Athens recorded 202mm of rain in six and a half hours, reaching 264mm by early afternoon. Emergency services responded to 113 calls on Rhodes by 4pm local time, carrying out 64 water-pumping operations and evacuating 13 people to safety. Four vehicles in total were dragged into the sea by the torrent.

Roads in Ialysos, Faliraki, Afandou and Archangelos were submerged with dozens of cars stranded. A massive rockslide blocked the Archangelos-Malona road, damaging the surface and safety barriers, and a bridge was temporarily closed. Lightning struck a house in Ialysos, causing a fire. Authorities declared a state of emergency across Rhodes, and schools remained closed for inspections and damage assessments.

The severe weather also caused widespread flooding and disruption across other parts of Greece, including Evia, the Sporades islands and the Attica region. Several major tourist attractions on Rhodes, including the archaeological sites of Lindos and Kamiros and the Palace of the Grand Master, were closed from 12.30pm local time.

How it is being reported

• Man, 62, dies after torrential floods sweep car onto beach on Greek island of RhodesA 62-year-old hotel employee died on the Greek island of Rhodes after his car was swept onto a beach by floodwaters as a severe storm battered parts of the countryThe Mirror · 14 Oct, 22:19
• Man dies as flash floods batter popular tourist island and force state of emergencyA hotel worker has been killed on the Greek island of Rhodes after flash floods swept his vehicle onto a beach during a ferocious rainstorm. Coastguard officers recovered the 62-year-old's body in Stegna, a coastal village roughly 20 miles south of Rhodes Town. He reportedly tried to retrieve his car near the beach in Archangelos when surging floodwaters caught him. Four vehicles in total were dragged into the sea by the torrent, with firefighters and coastguard personnel searching the shoreline. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Authorities have declared a state of emergency across Rhodes…GB News · 14 Oct, 21:19

In this story: Rhodes · Greece · Stegna · Archangelos · Evia

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