Travel restrictions hit Greek islands as deadly Rhodes floods kill hotel worker and trigger state of emergency


Flash floods killed a 62-year-old hotel worker on Rhodes after surging water swept his car onto a beach near the coastal village of Stegna, with his body recovered by coastguard officers. A state of emergency has been declared across the island, travel restrictions are in force across the Aegean, and schools remain closed Thursday for damage inspections. The National Observatory of Athens recorded 264mm of rain in under seven hours — one of the heaviest downpours to hit the island in years.
Emergency services fielded over 100 distress calls, completed 13 evacuations and carried out 64 water-pumping operations across Rhodes.
Roads in Faliraki, Ialysos, Afandou and Archangelos were submerged, dozens of cars were stranded, and a rockslide blocked the Archangelos-Malona road.
A lightning strike set a house ablaze in Ialysos and knocked out a regional broadcaster's electrical system, while Cyprus has been placed on an orange weather warning for severe storms.
