Crete is enduring a third day of severe weather, with flooding and landslides causing widespread damage and a fresh forecast warning that the storms will continue until midday on Sunday.

Scenes from the Mylopotamos area, in the Rethymno regional unit, and from Ierapetra, in the east of the island, show the extent of the destruction. In Zoniana, the main street has turned into a fast-flowing torrent, and the same is true of Profitis Ilias, near Heraklion. Mud and debris cover the roads, and some houses that were habitable only hours ago are now uninhabitable. A torrent in Zoniana has overflowed for a second day, and residents say conditions are worse than on Friday.

The storm has already claimed one life in the Rethymno area this week, and the municipality of Mylopotamos has been placed under a civil protection state of emergency. Schools and nurseries there have been closed, and the Region of Crete has kept its civil protection mechanism on its highest alert level until Sunday.

Repeated 112 alerts

Residents have received a series of messages on 112 alert, the European emergency number that Greece also uses for mass alerts. On Friday, a message was sent to the whole of Crete warning of severe weather from Friday evening to Saturday afternoon. It read: “Limit your movements to those that are absolutely necessary. Follow the instructions of the authorities.”

At 4.29pm on Friday, a second alert targeted the municipality of Mylopotamos, saying: “Intense weather phenomena in the municipality of Mylopotamos in the Rethymno regional unit. Limit your movements. Follow the instructions of the authorities.”

A further message was sent this morning, telling residents of Mylopotamos to move to higher ground: “Intense weather phenomena in the wider area of the municipality of Mylopotamos in the Rethymno regional unit. Limit your movements and move to higher ground. Follow the instructions of the authorities.”

Zoniana, Krana and Livadia without water

Zoniana, Krana and Livadia, all in Mylopotamos, have been left without running water after the storm badly damaged the local supply network.

In an emergency statement, the Mylopotamos municipal water and sewerage company said the damage was linked to the collapse of part of the road near Diskouri Monastery. This has also made it harder for repair crews to reach the affected sections of the network.

Crews are on site and working to restore the supply as quickly as possible, but they cannot start or complete repairs until safe access is secured. The company said it could not currently give an estimate of when water would return to the three villages.

Residents have been asked to use whatever water they have stored sparingly and only for essential needs. They have also been urged to follow official updates from the company and the municipality, which will announce any progress on repairs.

24-hour helpline for those affected

The municipality of Mylopotamos has opened a 24-hour helpline to log and respond to the needs of residents and visitors hit by the flooding.

People who need temporary accommodation or help from municipal crews can call the municipality’s civil protection service on 6955 666 001. Requests can also be emailed to grtypou@0456.syzefxis.gov.gr. To speed up the response, callers are asked to give their location, the type of help they need and a contact number.

The municipality has also asked people not to share the names, phone numbers or addresses of those affected on social media, and to pass such details directly to the relevant municipal services through official channels. Anyone in immediate danger should call 112.

More damage at Profitis Ilias

In Profitis Ilias, farm roads have collapsed and are impassable, leaving a scene that locals compare to a war zone.

Priamos Ieronymakis, the Heraklion regional councillor responsible for rural quality of life, told the news site Creta24 that a municipal project handed over only a month ago had also been seriously damaged. Mud and debris have built up at many points along the road network.

Farmers in the area are in despair. Vineyards, olive groves and other crops have been badly damaged, and many say a lifetime of work has been wiped out just before a difficult winter. Residents have asked the authorities to repair the damage immediately.

Huge boulder hits car at Ferma

A landslide at Ferma, on the exit towards Ierapetra, sent a huge boulder crashing onto a car as it drove past around midday on Friday. The fire service attended the scene. The vehicle was damaged, but there were no reports of injuries.

Four rescued from cove near Ierapetra

Four people were rescued from the cove of Agia Foteia, near Ierapetra, after flash flooding cut the only road out. They were taken by a coastguard vessel to the small harbour at Makry Gialos, and all are reported to be in good health.

Amari municipality on full alert

The municipality of Amari remains on full alert after successive waves of heavy rain brought landslides, large volumes of water and debris onto the roads, blocking or closing the route in a number of places.

The situation is particularly difficult in the communities of Fourfouras, Platania and Vistagi, where roads have become torrents carrying water, stones and soil. Traffic has been halted on the municipal roads between Vistagi, Platania and Fourfouras, and between Afrates and Platania. The provincial road near the Fourfouras junior and senior high school is also closed.

Crews and heavy machinery from the Region of Crete and the municipality are working to clear the debris and reopen roads where it is safe to do so.

The authorities have urged residents and visitors to take great care, follow instructions and avoid any unnecessary travel, as the ground is saturated and the risk of further landslides and flooding remains high. The municipality stressed that, in an emergency, protecting human life takes priority over any damage to property.

Emergency weather warning still in force

The Hellenic National Meteorological Service (EMY) has updated its emergency warning. Heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected in Crete today, Saturday 3 October, and from midday in the Dodecanese, where an orange warning is in place. Very strong north-easterly winds of force 8 to 9 on the Beaufort scale will also sweep the Aegean.

The National Observatory of Athens’ Meteo service has warned of a new round of heavy rain in Crete after a brief lull, with particularly high rainfall totals expected in the mountainous and semi-mountainous areas.

Rain that began on Friday afternoon is set to intensify, with storms, and will stay heavy in the mountains, foothills and north of the island until the evening. On Sunday, rain and isolated storms are forecast at intervals until midday, before gradually easing.

The details of the warning are as follows:

Heavy rain and thunderstorms are forecast locally in Crete today, with the weather weakening gradually from late tonight.

An orange warning is in force for the Dodecanese, mainly the southern parts, from midday today until midday on Sunday.

Very strong north-easterly winds of force 8 to 9 on the Beaufort scale will blow in the Aegean until this afternoon.