Polish National Dies as Storm Erminio Devastates Greece with Floods and Saharan Dust

A 55-year-old Polish man died in Nea Makri, east of Athens, after being swept away by floodwaters during Storm Erminio, which struck Greece on Wednesday, April 1, and Thursday, April 2, 2026, leaving a trail of destruction across Eastern Attica and several islands. The man, who had lived in the area for approximately 15 years according to Marathon Mayor Stergios Tsirkas, resided in a basement apartment on Pythagoras Street that flooded rapidly during the night. When he attempted to escape onto the street, rushing waters — reported to have reached approximately one meter in depth — swept him away and trapped him beneath a parked vehicle. Four firefighters with two vehicles responded to the scene and extricated him unconscious; he was transported by ambulance to hospital, where his death was confirmed. A neighbor who helped locate the victim described the scene as chaotic, saying he initially mistook the man for a dog wedged under a wheel before realizing it was a person.

Mayor describes two hours of unprecedented rainfall Stergios Tsirkas, the Mayor of Marathon, described the overnight storm as unlike anything he had previously witnessed in the region. „Within two hours, from 22:30 until 00:30, so much water fell that I have never seen it before. In our municipality, we had great damage, but the most important thing is the loss of a fellow citizen.” — Stergios Tsirkas via iefimerida.gr He added that two small bridges in the municipality suffered serious damage and that the road network sustained widespread harm, with many houses flooded. Roads in Nea Makri were transformed into mud-filled torrents, and vehicles were swept away and found in entirely different neighborhoods. The basements of the local police station also flooded. Municipal and regional crews worked through the night and into the morning to clear roads and assess damage. Tsirkas noted that the reasons behind the victim's decision to leave his home were still being investigated, and that the man bore injuries consistent with having struck objects while being carried by the current.

Over 1,100 emergency calls as damage spreads across islands The Greek Fire Service received more than 1,100 calls for assistance between Wednesday and Thursday afternoon as the storm swept across much of the country, primarily for water pumping, tree cutting, and removal of debris. In Eastern Attica alone, serious problems were recorded in Pikermi, Rafina, Nea Makri, Markopoulo, and Spata, where overflowing streams made roads impassable and debris entered homes and businesses. On the island of Poros, a small bridge collapsed and vehicles were swept away by floodwaters, with schools remaining closed. Rhodes recorded more than 50 calls related to uprooted trees in the northern part of the island, with damage to lighting poles, power cables, and vessels moored in Rhodes and Kos. On Sikinos, basements and roads near the port flooded, and similar conditions were reported on Hydra and Kimolos, where waves reached the urban fabric. A road in Kallitechnoupoli collapsed entirely, turning into a ravine. Gale-force winds of 8 to 9 Beaufort intensity were recorded in northeastern Greece, including Chalkidiki, eastern Macedonia, Thrace, and the Lemnos area.

Saharan dust turns Crete's skies red-orange as storm continues Alongside the flooding and wind damage, Crete, the Cyclades, and the Dodecanese were blanketed by elevated concentrations of African dust carried northward by the storm system, turning skies a distinctive red-orange color. Meteorological forecasts indicated that strong rains, storms, and possible hailstorms would continue to affect western and southern Peloponnese from midday into the night, and Crete — particularly its western and southern parts — from early afternoon. Northern Evia, Magnesia, the Sporades, and the Lemnos area were also under weather warnings. Authorities in multiple municipalities called on residents to limit movement and remain in safe locations while the storm continued. Schools were closed in several areas, including Poros and municipalities in the Cyclades. The storm's passage through Eastern Attica highlighted longstanding infrastructure deficiencies, with many roads in the region lacking adequate storm drainage systems capable of managing large volumes of water in a short time, according to reporting by Naftemporiki.

Greece is regularly affected by severe autumn and spring storm systems that bring intense rainfall to Attica and the Aegean islands. Eastern Attica in particular has experienced repeated flooding events linked to inadequate drainage infrastructure and the legacy of wildfires, which strip hillside vegetation and accelerate runoff. The area around Nea Makri was noted in the source reporting as having been affected by a previous fire in Varnavas, which contributed to the speed and volume of water rushing down from the mountain during Storm Erminio.