Athens, Dec 27
Greece has been in the grip of a wet weather front named Elena since Christmas, causing traffic disruptions and flooding across the country, authorities said Thursday.
In Athens, many northern and southern suburbs residents woke up on Thursday to heavy rainfall, which flooded dozens of houses and swept away cars. The Fire Brigade received at least 40 telephone calls to pump out water and remove fallen trees from roads.
Elena delivered the heaviest rainfall in Attica’s mountainous areas of Vilia and Penteli, far from the severe flooding experienced in the southern suburbs. The worst-hit areas included the port region of Piraeus and nearby Alimos.
The Peace and Friendship Stadium in the southern seaside area of the Greek capital near Piraeus Port was also flooded, and authorities are still assessing the damage, news agency reported.
Roads leading to Mount Parnitha in the northern suburbs were closed to traffic due to snowfall.
In central Greece, a 5-km traffic jam was formed on Wednesday at the foot of Mount Parnassus as many holidaymakers attempted to reach the ski resort.