Greece red alert: Tens of thousands stranded in storm chaos

An unusually severe winter storm struck Greece on Wednesday, threatening to paralyse land and sea transport across the country. Tens of thousands of tourists across the islands and tourist cities found themselves stranded as torrential rain, thunderstorms and localised hail hit wide areas.

According to the Greek Meteorological Service (EMY), the crisis is intensifying due to exceptionally strong north-easterly winds in the Aegean Sea, generating massive waves and severely hampering ferry traffic and inter-island shipping. At the same time, extreme rainfall in certain regions has raised serious concerns about flooding.

A look at the emergency alert map shows a tense picture: the island of Evia is under a red alert at the highest level due to extreme precipitation and serious flooding risk. Athens and the Attica region are under an orange warning with heavy rain, temperatures dropping to just 17 degrees Celsius, and fears of urban flooding.

The island of Crete, in the Chania and Rethymno areas, is also under an orange alert valid until late night hours, accompanied by thunderstorms and transport disruptions. The Sporades islands, Chalkidiki and the Dodecanese are likewise under sustained orange warnings.

Greek authorities are advising tourists and travellers in these areas to avoid unnecessary journeys on flooded roads and to check updated ferry and flight schedules in advance. Widespread disruptions are expected in the public transport system, particularly on ferry routes connecting the islands to the mainland.

Greece, which has become an especially popular tourist destination among Israelis in recent years, is currently grappling with extreme weather conditions unusual for this season. Israeli tourists now in the country are asked to follow local authorities' instructions and remain in protected locations.