Karditsa residents climb on roofs to avoid flooding

Residents in several municipalities of Karditsa, a regional unit in central Greece, had to climb on the roofs of their houses on Thursday morning to avoid rising waters that gathered in the pain after torrential rains hit the area and nearby regions in the last 48 hours.

The municipalities of Palamas and Metamorfosi were particularly hit by severe flooding with videos and images from the region showing houses sunk into muddy waters.

Record rainfall caused at least three deaths near the central city of Volos and in Karditsa, further to the west, according to the fire service. Three people were reported missing.

“[It is] literally a sea. We need help, for them to come and get us. We are in the community office, on the roof. We don’t know what to do, we don’t have water, we don’t have food,” a local resident told Greek TV channel Alpha.

“We are around 60 people, the building is not stable, I can feel it shaking. About 300 people live in the community. Some have left, we stayed to save what we can. But there are also missing people,” he added.

Volos, Pelion, Skiathos, northern Evia, Karditsa, Fthiotida and Athens were hit by extreme weather phenomena on Wednesday, causing flooding and landslides. However, damage was also reported in southern Greece, in Argolida, mainly in Epidaurus and Ermionida. Civil Protection evacuation orders have been sent in the last 48 hours to residents in Karditsa, Magnesia and Trikala.

The National Meteorological Service (EMY) has forecast heavy rain and thunderstorms until Thursday afternoon in Thessaly, the Sporades islands, northern Evia, and parts of central and eastern Central Greece (Sterea Ellada).

Source: ekathimerini.com