Flood death toll rises to 3
Rescue workers in Magnesia, central Greece, yesterday recovered the bodies of another two people who had gone missing in severe flooding provoked by heavy rainfall, bringing the death toll from the flooding to three. One of the two bodies found yesterday, near the city of Volos, is believed to be the brother of a 70-year-old farmer who drowned when a river near his house broke its banks. No details were released on the third person found dead. Apart from the fatalities, the flooding also caused landslides on some roadsides in the broader area of Magnesia as well as in Halkidiki, northern Greece. Deputy Citizens’ Protection Minister Spyros Vougias acknowledged that the damage was «massive» but assured local farmers, traders and homeowners that they would be compensated. The fire service was swamped with telephone calls from residents and shop owners of ground-floor and basement properties asking that their flooded premises be pumped out.
