Downpour prompts traffic ban on Rhodes; over 300 mm of rain
Storm Bora, the weather system that swept across the country Saturday, claiming the lives of two men on Lemnos, has also impacted Rhodes, prompting authorities to impose a traffic ban as sections of the island’s road network have been heavily damaged.
On Saturday, the island experienced non-stop rainfall for over 16 hours, resulting in more than 300 mm of precipitation, equivalent to 80% of the water volume accumulated during the deadly late-October flood in Valencia, Spain, according to Giorgos Hatzimarkos, South Aegean regional governor.
In announcements early Sunday afternoon, Hatzimarkos and Rhodes mayor Alexandros Koliadis both urged locals to stay indoors for safety.
“The situation on the island is devastating and deeply shocking. The people of Rhodes are reeling from what occurred on Saturday,” Hatzimarkos, the regional governor, told Kathimerini early Sunday morning.
Several cases were reported in which rescuers had to be saved while attempting to evacuate civilians, as these operations were conducted under extremely hazardous conditions.
The traffic ban has been imposed as large sections of the island’s road network have been completely destructed, while the weather system is highly likely to re-intensify and bring further downpours from midday Sunday, the regional official explained.
Other damages reported on Rhodes include collapsed bridges, landslides, and significant destruction to private property.
Schools on Rhodes will remain closed on Monday, authorities have announced.
Extensive damages have been reported in the villages of Ialysos, Kremasti, Maritsa, Damatria and Paradeisi, Thomas Kostas, deputy mayor of Rhodes, told Kathimerini.
In Lemnos, the downpour began in the early hours of Saturday, with rainfall intensity reaching 211 tons of water per ¼ acre.
By Sunday morning, the island accumulated more than 150 tons of rain per ¼ acre. The rainfall has steadily diminished, but Lemnos remains on high alert as experts warn of potential weather disturbances later in the day.
Source: ekathimerini.com
