Greece has issued a severe storm warning for residents and tourists in the Ionian Islands and Western Peloponnese, utilizing the 112 emergency service to send urgent alerts.
On Wednesday evening, two key alerts were sent:
Zakynthos: At 9:40 PM, locals and visitors on the island of Zakynthos were warned of torrential rains and thunderstorms expected overnight Wednesday through midday Thursday. As a precautionary measure, the island’s mayor announced that schools would be closed on Thursday.
Western Peloponnese: Just ten minutes later, at 9:50 PM, a similar warning was issued for the Peloponnese prefectures of Achaia, Ilia, and Messinia, forecasting torrential rain and storms from early Thursday morning until midday.
Both alerts instructed people to exercise caution when moving around and to follow all official authority directions closely.
The Greek Risk Assessment Committee convened on Wednesday and met again today to evaluate the latest data. According to meteorologists, while intense weather is expected in many areas, the highest risk zones for Thursday are predicted to be Zakynthos, Kefalonia, Achaia, Ilia, Messinia, Laconia, and Central Macedonia.
The severe weather is forecast to shift eastward on Friday, impacting East Macedonia, Thrace, the islands of the Eastern Aegean, and the Dodecanese.
