Popular Greek islands given orange weather warning after horror storm leaves three dead

Hilary Mitchell
·3-min read
-Credit: (Image: Getty)
-Credit: (Image: Getty)


Tourists planning a trip to the popular and scenic Greek Dodecanese island chain - which includes the holiday hotspots of Rhodes and Kos - are being warned to "be prepared" as violent thunderstorms continue to rage in the area.

Three people have already died due to Storm Bora, which has dumped more than 30cm of rain on the island of Rhodes since Saturday, according to the BBC.

On the nearby island of Lemnos, severe flooding has also damaged roads and buildings and left two men dead. One of the victims was a 70-year-old man who fell as he was trying to clear debris from his house, and a 57-year-old farmer died after being reported missing by his family near a flooded dam.

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The Acropolis of Lindos in Rhodes. The island is a hugely popular tourist destination. -Credit:Getty
The Acropolis of Lindos in Rhodes. The island is a hugely popular tourist destination. -Credit:Getty

It's believed that the farmer tragically drowned after being swept away by swiftly-rising floodwaters while trying to free his car, which had become stuck in mud.

There is still an orange weather warning in place for the islands, with EUMETNET (a network of 33 European National Meteorological Services based in Brussels) warning of "severe thunderstorms in place probably accompanied by strong winds and hail at times"

The warning continues: "BE PREPARED for severe thunderstorms causing significant impact and protect yourself from lightning. Damage to property and trees may occur. Flash flooding, wind gusts and hail are possible. Transport and outdoor activities disruption can be expected."

The situation on Rhodes in particular has been described as "dramatic".

Bridges have collapsed and many roads are currently impassable, leading to a 24-hour ban on vehicle movement on the island's road network with no cars or other transportation allowed.

Sky News reports that in the popular Rhodes resort of Faliraki, flooding caused by torrential rains caused chasms to open up in the ground and damaged homes and shops on the coast.

The thunderstorm weather warning remains in place until 12pm on Tuesday, December 3, however the serious damage to the island's infrastructure will continue to cause major issues for locals and tourists alike for some time to come.

The regional governor of Southern Aegean, Giorgos Hatzimarkos, has said that Rhodes had sustained "enormous damage" and the Mayor of Rhodes, Alexandros Koliadis, has asked the Greek government to declare the island as being in a state of emergency.

Fallen trees caused by the strong winds of Storm Bora in Thessaloniki, Greece on December 1, 2024. -Credit:Getty
Fallen trees caused by the strong winds of Storm Bora in Thessaloniki, Greece on December 1, 2024. -Credit:Getty

Storm Bora has also caused problems on the mainland, too, with the city of Thessaloniki ravaged by the extreme weather. Gusts from gale force winds reached more than 50mph, damaging buildings and bringing down trees.

A third man died in the northern region of Halkidiki on Monday (December 2), according to state broadcaster ERT. He fell into a 30-metre ravine while trying to avoid debris and falling rocks, and died of hypothermia.

The winds were so severe that a cargo ship moored in Thessaloniki's was swept away, crashing into a second cargo ship and damaging both vessels.

The Greek minister for climate crisis and civil protection, Vassilis Kikilias, blamed climate change for this disaster, as well as for the unprecedented series of heatwaves that caused major wildfires in Rhodes 2023, which caused tourists to have to flee the island.

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