Greece Storm 'Erminio' Unleashes Fury: One Dead, Transport Chaos

Erratic storm 'Erminio' has brought gale-force winds and massive waves to Greece, resulting in localized floods and significant transport disruptions. Authorities issued emergency warnings and closed schools in several affected areas, including east of Athens, the Dodecanese islands, the Cycladic islands, and Crete. On the island of Poros, a bridge was knocked down by flooding.

Tragically, a man around 50 years old was found trapped under a car in Nea Makri, northeast of Athens. The fire department received nearly 500 emergency calls in the greater Athens area. Most of Greece's ferries, crucial for island transport, remained in port on Wednesday. Flights were also disrupted, particularly on Rhodes, where winds reached 70 mph and waves hit 15ft, leading to dozens of flight cancellations.

Compounding the severe weather, a Saharan dust storm blanketed Crete on Wednesday, causing several Easter holiday flights to be rerouted. Thick African dust reduced visibility significantly at Heraklion's main airport, grounding aircraft and delaying arrivals. This dust cloud has continued to affect air travel across the island. Additionally, a powerful tornado flipped a truck in Pachia Ammos, and violent weather uprooted trees and damaged property in various coastal areas. In Chania, rain mixed with dust created mud, drastically reducing visibility and leading to very poor air quality readings.