Intense weather phenomena 40 pct higher in 2019 than last 20 years
Τhe number of intense weather phenomena was 40 percent higher in 2019 compared with the average percentage in previous 20 years, according to the relevant data presented by the National Observatory of Athens' Meteo weather service.
In their analysis, researchers Costas Lagouvardos and Katerina Papayiannakis said that these events provoked an unusually high number of victims and major disasters last year.
They recorded a total of 33 such phenomena, of which the 15 had major social and economic repercussions. The main phenomena observed during these 33 cases included heavy rain and flooding (65 pct), snowfall (12 pct) and whirlwinds and windstorms (10 pct).
The areas mostly affected were Attica (14 times), the islands of the Dodecanese (8), Chania on Crete (7) and Chalkidiki (6).
As a result, 32 people died due to strong winds, nine from flooding and eight from low temperatures.
Four of the victims were struck by lightning, which is the highest number of victims hit by lightning in a year since 2001 when records of the specific fatalities started being recorded.
Finally, most of the above phenomena took place in autumn and winter and particularly in January and in November.
