Storm Agneta floods Rhodes and Samos, with Rhodes schools closed and warnings still in force

Rhodes takes the worst of the flooding

Storm Agneta hit several parts of Greece overnight into Monday, 2 November, and Rhodes was at the centre of the damage. Civil protection sent a 112 message to residents and visitors of the island at 03:30, asking them to limit their travel and follow the instructions of the competent authorities, and a second message followed at 05:19. In Archangelos, streams formed on the roads and turned them into rivers, flooding homes and businesses, and some residents climbed onto their roofs to escape the rising water. At least one car was swept away according to one report, while NewsIT described dozens of cars carried off by the torrents. Residents spoke of extreme phenomena not seen for decades, and fire crews recorded at least 15 calls in Archangelos for pumping water, cutting trees and moving people to higher ground.

Flooding spreads to Samos, Kalymnos, Volos and Lemnos

On Samos, a stream overflowed at Iraion, sending large volumes of water into homes and basements, and nine vehicles and 20 firefighters were deployed to pump water out. The Fire Service has received 28 calls for help on Samos, while the Dodecanese as a whole logged 18 calls. On Kalymnos, a large rock came loose at Agios Vasileios and came to rest inside a private garage, causing material damage, and flooding also hit Masouri. In Volos, water in New Anchialos (the Alonaki area) and New Ionia rose to almost the height of parked cars, damaging the sewerage network and street lighting, and the local fire service recorded 12 calls. In Myrina on Lemnos, rushing water ran into the sea and turned it brown, while the road surface was damaged and the asphalt subsided. Kimolos also reported flooding.

Samos28

Dodecanese18

Volos12

Samos

28 calls

Dodecanese

18 calls

Volos

12 calls

Data from the article text

Schools closed and warnings in place

Schools in the Archangelos and Afantou municipal units did not open on Monday, 2 November, a decision the Rhodes municipality announced at 04:30 to protect pupils and teachers. The closure applies to that day only, and the municipality cited the risk of travel to and from school in the bad conditions. Civil protection repeated its request that people limit their movements and follow the guidance of the authorities. Authorities said they were on alert, and residents were urged to take particular care while the flooding continued.

Forecast for the coming days

The updated emergency bulletin from the Hellenic National Meteorological Service (EMY) warned that strong rain, storms and possible hail would continue on Monday. The phenomena were expected to intensify in the Ionian islands from midday, in Epirus, western Sterea and western and southern Peloponnese from the afternoon, and in the Dodecanese at intervals until late at night. Athens and Thessaloniki were forecast to be overcast with intermittent rain and temperatures around 19 to 20 degrees Celsius. According to the meteorological service Meteo, successive weather systems will keep conditions adverse across the country at least until Tuesday, 3 November. Meteorologist Thodoris Kolydas said the picture was about to change.

“Until today we would not have spoken of an organized bad weather. But that changes on Tuesday and Wednesday, as the upper low approaches our area.”

The forecast therefore points to a worsening, not an easing, of the weather in the days ahead.