Crete floods: Cars swept away and hundreds of homes flooded after heavy rainfall hits Greek island

Officials report ‘inestimable’ damage to island’s road network and businesses

Locals in the village of Gournes stand in a yard full of debris following heavy rainfall on the island of Crete (REUTERS)

Cars have been swept away in torrents of water and hundreds of homes flooded in parts of Crete after heavy rainfall lashed the Greek island on Tuesday.

Government officials said the rain flooded residences and stores in the northern town of Hersonissos, a resort popular with tourists, and nearby villages.

Images from the island showed damaged cars piled up in the street and wrecked homes following the torrential downpour.

“Since last night and until today, incessant, huge amounts of water have turned the streets into rivers… and unfortunately, the damage is inestimable,” Tassos Kouroupakis, the civil protection governor for Crete, told Greek state television.

Authorities said the worst of the damage on Tuesday had occurred east of the island’s capital, Iraklio, in small towns and villages where schools were closed and residents were told to stay indoors.

The local fire brigade said it had received 230 calls to pump rainwater out of homes and to help move people trapped in the floods to safety.

“By order of the Chief of PS Lieutenant General Stefanos Kolokouris, the Fire Services of the Region of Crete have been placed in a state of General Vigilance,” the fire brigade said in a statement.

“As the phenomenon of heavy rainfall is in progress, we ask our fellow citizens in the Region of Crete, to be especially careful, and in case of floods, to follow the instructions of the competent authorities.”

Although no injuries were reported, regional government officials said the island’s road network had been damaged, along with homes and businesses.

It is the third time in less than a month that the island has been hit by flooding, with heavy rainfall expected to continue through Thursday.

In October, Crete’s Heraklion International Airport was forced to close temporarily to ensure flight and passenger safety when bad weather hit the island, according to local reports.

Additional reporting by agencies