Strong winds knock out power lines in parts of Attica, keep ferries from sailing
Several suburbs in northern Athens and other parts of Attica experienced blackouts on Tuesday as gale-force winds knocked over trees that crashed into power lines, the Athens-Macedonia News Agency has reported.
The fire service is reported as having responded to some 500 calls to remove branches and trees that came down on roads, cars and power lines, while Stadiou Street in central Athens was closed for several hours as crews tried to remove a large tree that had fallen across the road (photo).
Northerly winds reached speeds of 9-10 on the Beaufort scale and were expected to persist through Wednesday.
Port authorities across Greece, with the exception of Igoumenitsa in the west and Kylini in northern Evia, ordered all ships to remain in port on Tuesday afternoon. They have not said whether scheduled sailings will be executed on Wednesday.
Parts of the country were also being pummeled by strong rain, with authorities in Hania on Crete declaring a state of emergency in Kisamos due to flooding.
Central authorities have warned citizens not to engage in unnecessary outdoor activities and to be especially vigilant when driving in parts of the country experiencing strong winds and rain, following the death of four people in flash floods on the island of Rhodes last week and the death on Monday of a woman in Argos in the Peloponnese after her apartment flooded.
