Torrential rain gridlocks Athens roads, hail damages crops

A storm flooded streets and created bottlenecks in main roads of the Greek capital, while other regions reported damages from hailstorms as a wet weather front swept across the country on Thursday.

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The torrential rain gridlocked Ardittou and Vassileos Konstantinou Streets, as well as Kifissou, Kifissias and Mesogeion Avenues.

Dense traffic was also observed in Alexandras Avenue and the coastal Poseidon's Avenue near the district of Alimos.

Before the storm, skies over Athens turned red as dust brought by southern winds mixed with the clouds.

The National Meteorological Service (EMY) had issued an emergency bulletin on Wednesday warning of the extreme weather across the country. EMY warned that southeasterly winds will pick up during the day and reach 7 to 8 on the Beaufort scale.

The General Secretariat for Civil Protection also issued an advisory on Wednesday, warning residents and visitors in the regional units of Xanthi, Rodopi, Kavala and Etoloakarnania not to venture outside without good reason.

EMY said temperatures in attica will range between 15 and 18 Celsius. The storm in Athens is expected to start easing on Thursday afternoon.

Hailstorms also caused extensive damage to agricultural production in the southern parts of the region of Laconia, southeastern Peloponnese, early in the morning. Farmers in the area told local news websites that their olive tree and citrus fruit groves were destroyed.

Πηγή: Καθημερινή