A wave of severe weather is sweeping across Greece, bringing heavy rain, thunderstorms and gale-force winds, with flooding and travel disruption particularly affecting Skiathos, Evia, Attica and Rhodes.

The Greek Fire Service’s operations centre received 58 emergency calls from Attica and Evia between Tuesday and 6am on Wednesday, following heavy rainfall and strong winds.

In Attica, firefighters received 38 calls, carrying out nine water-pumping operations and removing 15 fallen trees. In Evia, they responded to 20 calls, removing 19 trees and carrying out one road-cleaning operation.

Residents and visitors in Politika, Evia, received an emergency alert through Greece’s 112 warning system on Wednesday morning, urging them to exercise caution when travelling because of the severe weather.

The message read: “Severe weather conditions in the Politika area of Evia. Exercise caution when travelling. Follow the instructions of the authorities.”

Meanwhile, the River Kireas has burst its banks, causing serious disruption to road connections between northern Evia and Chalkida, according to local media.

Emergency alert in Rhodes as roads flood and bus services are cancelled

An emergency alert was also issued to residents of the Rhodes regional unit at 10.44am on Wednesday (14 October), warning of severe weather.

Civil Protection authorities urged residents and visitors to restrict travel to essential journeys and follow official instructions.

Shortly before midday, heavy rainfall was affecting almost the entire island, with emergency services on full alert.

Reported problems mainly involved flooded roads, prompting Rhodes municipality to close a section of the road between Archangelos and Malona for safety reasons. Bus services to Faliraki were also cancelled.

Dozens of homes and businesses damaged in Skiathos

The severe weather that has battered the Northern Sporades over the past 24 hours has also caused extensive damage in Skiathos, where the 112 emergency warning system was activated twice.

The island’s mayor, Thodoris Tzoumas, told the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (AMNA) that the municipality had requested a state of emergency.

“The rain and winds are continuing. We are carrying out repairs to the main road network, where debris has accumulated. There have been some fallen trees and two cars have been swept away, while schools are closed. The weather appears to be easing,” Tzoumas said.

The mayor added that between 40 and 50 businesses and 15 to 20 homes had suffered damage. The process of arranging compensation and conducting damage assessments has already begun, with inspections to be carried out by teams from the Region of Thessaly and the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection.

Sailing boat runs aground near Alonnisos

A Greek-flagged sailing boat carrying two people ran aground off the island of Peristera, near Alonnisos.

According to the Hellenic Coast Guard, both passengers were rescued by a private vessel carrying Coast Guard officers and taken to the port of Alonnisos.

Northeasterly winds of force 8 on the Beaufort scale were blowing in the area at the time.

Ferry departures suspended from Piraeus and Lavrio

Gale-force winds across the Aegean continue to disrupt ferry services, with sailing bans from the ports of Piraeus and Lavrio remaining in force until 3pm.

According to the Hellenic National Meteorological Service (EMY), winds are reaching force 9 and temporarily force 10 on the Beaufort scale in some areas.

The Coast Guard said only certain conventional passenger and vehicle ferries were operating in the Saronic Gulf, while hydrofoil services had been suspended. The ferry connection between Paloukia on Salamina and Kamatero in Piraeus has also been halted.

Three morning departures from Rafina operated normally, while weather conditions are expected to be reassessed after 4pm before decisions are made on subsequent sailings.

Other ferry connections have also been affected, with services suspended on the Prinos–Kavala, Agia Marina–Nea Styra and Arkitsa–Edipsos routes because of adverse weather conditions.

Passengers planning to travel on Wednesday are advised to contact local port authorities and travel agencies in advance for information about possible timetable changes, delays or cancellations.

Eight areas placed on Red Code alert

Greece’s General Secretariat for Civil Protection placed eight areas under Red Code emergency mobilisation status from midday Tuesday until Wednesday.

The alert covers:

• The Evia regional unit in Central Greece
• The Sporades regional unit in Thessaly
• The Attica region
• The South Aegean region
• The Crete region
• The Samos and Ikaria regional units in the North Aegean
• The Peloponnese region

According to the emergency severe weather bulletin issued by the Hellenic National Meteorological Service on Tuesday, heavy rain and thunderstorms, with the possibility of localised hailstorms, are expected across much of Greece on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, particularly in coastal and maritime areas.

Locally violent northeasterly winds are also forecast in the northern Aegean.