PM Samaras orders release of emergency funds for torrential rain damages

He also called for reports from competent authorities on specific measures to be taken for the future,

A day after Friday’s torrential rain that destroyed many cars and flooded several homes at Piraeus and the western suburbs of Athens, the authorities in these areas are working to assess the damage.

In the meantime, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras ordered the release of emergency funds as of Monday to help the worst affected areas.

Mr. Samaras, who returned from a Eurogroup leaders summit in Brussels on Friday, held a meeting in the Halandri emergency operations centre that ended slightly past midnight.

After the meeting was completed, the Prime Minister said that everyone who had been affected – especially in the areas of Peristeri, Ilion, Perama, Menidi, Egaleo, Agii Anargyri, Nikea, Piraeus and Kamatero – would be compensated “as soon as possible.”

He also called for reports from competent authorities on specific measures to be taken for the future, “as we see the same problem occurring over and over again, as in the Peristeri-Ilio border, the Roupaki or Thivon highway are, the borders of Kokkinia, or Dimokratias highway in Menidi.”