Greece storms kill 6 tourists and injure at least 100 people

Thursday, July 11, 2019

Tornadoes, hailstorms in Greece left 6 dead and many more injured. Strong winds, and rains hit the region of Halkidiki, near the city of Thessaloniki. Extremely unusual, sudden and abrupt weather led to a severe thunderstorm warning is in force in Halkidiki.

Two elderly Czech nationals were killed when strong winds swept away their travel trailer in Halkidiki, a tourist peninsula in northern Greece as per the reports. Elsewhere a woman and an eight-year-old boy, who were Romanian nationals, were killed after a roof collapsed on a restaurant in Nea Plagia. A 39-year-old man and a boy, aged two, also died after a tree fell on their vehicle. A medical centre has treated about 60 to 70 people, most suffering with fractures due to the Greece storms.

The gales battered the region after Greece experienced sweltering heat recently, with the Acropolis in Athens closing last week as temperatures soared 37 degree centigrade.

The region was dotted with overturned cars, fallen trees, torn roofs and mudslides. As per emergency chief Vassilis Varthakoyannis, at least 140 rescue workers were involved in the operation.

The Greece storms lasted about few minutes, but left behind a trail of damage to personnel and property.

The region, a three-finger peninsula near the northern city of Thessaloniki, has multiple seaside resorts and is popular with tourists in the summer.

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