One dead and two missing after Greek island of Crete hit by flash flooding

A man in his 50s dies while trapped in car as extensive damage in seaside villages reported

A man was found dead and two people were missing on Saturday after torrential rain brought major flooding to the Greek island of Crete, emergency workers said.

A man in his fifties died while trapped inside his car as the rains began to fall in the southern Greek island, a popular holiday destination. Local media reported extensive damage in seaside villages, where streets have become rivers carrying away everything in their path.

According to emergency services, a woman was slightly injured when she too became trapped in a car. At least nine vehicles surrounded by water still needed to be rescued on Saturday evening. The emergency services received more than 450 calls within an hour on Friday morning.

Eight tourists and a security guard were also stranded in the archaeological museum in the coastal resort town of Sitia. All the gorges on the island, popular hiking spots for tourists, were closed to the public until further notice.

The mayor of Sitia told the Skai TV channel: “The situation was out of control and the [weather] phenomena in the region were exceptional.”

Human-induced climate breakdown is amplifying extreme weather, including floods, heatwaves and droughts, scientists say, with extreme events becoming more frequent and more intense.

A senior official for the Heraklion region, Nikos Syrigonakis, urged residents to limit their movements. “This is a difficult day,” he added.

The civil defence department said it was mobilised and asked all citizens to be vigilant in Crete and the surrounding islands of Rhodes, Karpathos, Kastellorizo and Kasos.

cover photo: Rescue divers inspect cars in the sea after they were dragged by floods at Aghia Pelagia, Heraklion, Crete, Greece. Photograph: Nikos Chalkiadakis/EPA