Greece’s biblical disaster from Daniel’s crossing – 4 dead and 6 missing

Hours of agony in Karditsa, which has turned into a vast lake, with six residents missing and 20 people still stranded in Agia Triada, after the sweeping passage of severe weather front Daniel.

At the same time, the tragic toll since the passing of the bad weather is four dead, as one more citizen was found dead in Domokos at noon on Thursday. This is the breeder who was missing in Petrotos.

The 49-year-old was found at noon by men of the 7th EMAK rescue team, with his body crushed by carried matter, which were swept by the large volume of water caused by Daniel.

The unfortunate man had left his house early on Wednesday morning to take care of his animals, before the dangerous weather phenomena appeared, and since then he had not given any sign of life.

The missing are six in Agia Triada Karditsa, according to the Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Vassilis Kikilias, among them a couple of 35-year-old Austrians, where they were attending the Irrigation of South Pelion when their house was swept away by the torrents.

Despair

Most villages and the capitals of the Regional Units of Karditsa and Trikala are facing serious problems, which endanger even human lives, from the heavy rains of the last few hours.

Homes, livestock units and businesses have been affected with incalculable damages from the advancing water, while residents, in some areas, are unable to get out of their houses, in which they are trapped, due to the height of the water that has reached their yards.

“We can’t find some people in the village of Agia Triada”, says a resident of the village of Agia Triada Karditsa.

As Vassilis Gaganas said, speaking to public broadcaster ERT, “we call residents on the phones and cannot find them. We just hope they haven’t drowned.”

In fact, he emphasizes that investigations are continuing to identify those who have not contacted anyone.  

“The mountains are coming down”

Houses have been torn down, rockfalls have occurred in many municipal departments of both Regional Units, while the Pinios river is beginning to overflow in Trikala villages. Also, the Litheos river that crosses the city of Trikala has overflowed towards neighborhoods of the city.

The deputy governor of Trikalon, Christos Michalakis, in statements to APE-MPE, calls for special equipment to be sent to rescue people, while he also talks about many landslides in the mountain massif, stressing that “our mountains are coming down”.

The deputy governor of Karditsa, Mr. Konstantinos Noussios, also emphasizes that the biggest problem is the municipality of Palamas, where many residents are trapped in their homes and businesses and their release should be done immediately.  

“People have died, people have drowned”

Speaking on Thursday morning to SKAI, Mrs. Haroula said: “She did not call 112. People have been overwhelmed in their homes. I’m calling for help.

People have been saved from the surrounding houses and have come to me. People have died, people have drowned. Right across the house from mine. They couldn’t help him. I can’t go find him.”

“You’ve never seen anything like this before”

He then said: “Every ten minutes you hear a house collapsing. Every ten minutes. I ask for help. On the other side of the road many people are trapped. Do you want me to tell you the joke? They will send a boat in two hours. At this moment the water is as if there is an endless sea.

»You have never seen anything like this in your life. Right now the level is rising. Help, people are drowning. We will rise to the top. My house has two floors. The lower house is flooded, our animals are all drowned. What I could save from dogs and cats are upstairs. The point is that a lot of people are at risk.”

“We have small children”

The bad weather Daniel continues to show its scary face and sweep Evia and especially in the north the situation is very difficult and the residents, who are trapped, are making dramatic appeals for help.

The torrential waters that poured into the area from the onslaught of bad weather Daniel turned everything into a lagoon, entered houses, caused subsidence on roads.

“We need immediate food and a flashlight because we are without electricity. We also need some way to charge a cell phone to have a communication because we have small children here so if we need something we can communicate”, said one of those trapped in the village of Evia to evima.gr

Mr. Yiannis released videos and images that show the scale of the disaster in Makri Gialos.

“The road will fall because it is hollow,” he pointed out.

Emergency update on catastrophic floods

According to the information provided by the Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Vassilis Kikilia, 40 people are still in houses in Megala Kalyvia, while 4 people are in Kalogriana.

“Operationally, the very difficult field is located between Trikala and Karditsa, along the Litheos River, which has flooded and broken the dam in the Suburb”, the minister underlined in the briefing from the National Coordination Center for Operations and Crisis Management.

Not long ago, the first flights of aerial vehicles began. A Super Puma and 4 Bell of the Fire Brigade operate in the areas, followed by a Super Puma and a Bell of the Armed Forces.

“There have been 885 extrications and rescues”

Mr. Kikilias specifically stated: “The entire state apparatus has focused its forces on Thessaly. Operationally, the very difficult field is located between Trikala and Karditsa along the Litheos river, which is a tributary of Pinios, which Litheos has flooded and has broken the dam in the Suburb.

Therefore, the villages of Proastio, Agia Triada, Palamas, Megala Kalivia and Kalogriana are blocked off and superhuman efforts are being made to approach and free the residents.

20 people are trapped in Agia Triada while 6 people are missing. In Megala Kalyvia there are 40 people in houses and in Kalogriana 4 people also in houses.

In Palamas we have no reference, apart from the fact that the water has reached high levels. Lifeboats are used operationally. A total of 885 extrications and rescues have taken place. The airlifts started a while ago with a Super Puma and four Fire Brigade helicopters. Until recently, they could not approach because of the weather conditions.”

“Seven helicopters on standby”

For his part, the head of the National Defense General Staff, Konstantinos Floros, said: “All our forces are on alert as part of the Xenokratis plan and are operating in the affected areas. There are already 11 machines in the areas, over 25-30 boats and others are on the way. Seven helicopters are on standby, teams have rushed to places where bridges have fallen in Magnesia and Mouzaki, while they are trying to hold back those that are being destroyed. We have been by the citizens’ side from the first moment and this is one of our missions, to support society with all our forces”.

The Chief of the Fire Department, Lieutenant General Georgios Pournaras, noted that 4,800 calls have been made to the Fire Department by citizens, while 1,600 water pumps and 685 rescues have been carried out. The areas where the firefighters are focused are Argolida, Porto Heli, Nea Epidavros and Neapoli Laconia as well as Karditsa, Trikala and Larissa. “In collaboration with the Armed Forces we are working to reach areas with trapped people. The aerial rescue has already begun as a disabled woman was rescued from Agia Triada. We will reach every last citizen,” he said.

Finally, the Chief of the Hellenic Police, Lt. General Lazaros Mavropoulos, referred to the traffic arrangements made by the Hellenic Police. and emphasized that 105 arrests have been made by the police. “We are on constant alert for as long as necessary to provide support to the work of the Civil Protection and the Fire Department,” he concluded.