Greece: flash floods kill at least 10 in Athens

At least 10 have been killed by flash floods caused by heavy rains in three towns near Greece’s capital, Athens, according to officials.

The industrial towns of Mandra, Nea Peramos and Megara, 27km west of Athens were most affected, with torrents of mud and debris causing complete chaos.

Many of the dead, according to reports, were elderly people whose bodies were found inside their homes.

“Everything is lost. The disaster is biblical,” said Mandra Mayor Yianna Krikouki.

Several people were transported to a local hospital for treatment of injuries, including two women suffering from hypothermia and a driver who was injured whilst trying to escape his truck.

The fatalities reportedly occurred in the Mandra area.

The flooding came after severe weather striking overnight, with roads being turned into muddy torrents that carried vehicles away and filled the roads with rubble.

Judicial authorities have ordered an immediate investigation into the deaths and material damage, looking into whether factors such as subpar or illegal construction may have contributed to the severity of the flooding.

Local authorities shut down schools in the areas affected, while the fire department appealed to the public to avoid heading to the area unless absolutely necessary.

More bad weather is predicted for large sections of Greece later on Wednesday, as well as in the coming days.