Heavy floods on the Greek island of Crete claimed one life after sweeping away cars and flooding homes on Saturday, Oct. 15 the fire service said.
Most of the flooding was reported in the northern part of the island after rains battered towns and villages.
A 45 year-old man died after his car was dragged by currents in the northern Greek village of Agia Pelagia, and one woman was missing, according to the fire service, which received 300 calls for help.
Searches were also continuing for nine vehicles that were reported to have been swept away by the currents, a fire service official said.
“It all happened within seconds, I don’t know how long it was happening, we just barely managed to get everyone out when the water had reached up to their shoulders, at the last minute, because everyone was sleeping and they had no idea what was happening,” said one woman who owned an apartment building of her renters on the ground floor.
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Fire-firefighters transferred 15 people from homes and buildings in various towns and villages as well as eight tourists from an archaeological museum in the town of Sitia.
Video showed cars floating in the sea off the island’s beaches, vehicles thrown over walls and upside down, while streets were buried under flowing water.
Meteorologists had warned of sudden, heavy rains and storms in the south and east of the country on Saturday.
By Reuters. (Production: Kostas Kokonis, Vassilis Triandafyllou, Deborah Kyvrikosaios)
