ATHENS, GREECE — A powerful storm that has battered Greece over the past 24 hours has brought strong winds and flooding that killed one man and turned the sky over Crete dark red.
The surreal red sky colors were reminiscent of the apocalyptic scenes over Crete as a storm battered the island with gusty winds accompanied by a desert dust storm.
On the mainland, Greek media reports said that a 55-year-old man died after he was trapped under a car when he was engulfed by rising waters in the town of Nea Makri, about 16 miles northeast of the Greek capital, Athens.
Fire engines responded to about 500 calls for help, including cutting down downed trees, pumping water out of flooded homes, and rescuing 33 people trapped by rising floodwaters, fire department official Yiannis Tsingas told state radio.
Electricity was cut off in several suburbs of Athens, while traffic was disrupted in the city center due to fallen trees and cars stopping due to rising water levels.
On other islands in the Aegean Sea, streets turned into small rivers while stormy waves multiplied heavy rainfall on coastal areas. On Paros Island, cars were swept away while a small bridge collapsed. The island’s mayor said that schools were closed on Thursday.