NEWS

Two dead, one missing in Greece after island flood

Two women died on the Greek tourist island of Rhodes and a man was missing after heavy rainfall hit the area, the fire department said on Saturday.

The 27-year-old woman’s body was found in the sea Saturday near the town of Kremasti, one of the areas hardest hit by the intense three-hour downpour, a fire department spokeswoman said.

A day earlier, rescue crews had recovered the body of a 40-year-old woman from a river bank.

“We are still looking for a 50-year-old man,” the spokeswoman said.

“A Super Puma helicopter with a 10-man specialised rescue team and dogs has been sent to Rhodes to assist the search,” she added.

The fire department said it rescued another 20 people trapped in their homes or cars.

After about three hours of heavy rain in the early evening, weather conditions improved late on Friday.

Parts of the island have been declared in a state of emergency.

The state-run Athens News Agency reported that parts of the island suffered temporary power cuts and that local roads appear to have been damaged.

According to local media, the fire department received some 140 calls for help. [AFP]

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