Severe floods and landslides hit Kefalonia, Greece
Heavy rainfall from Thursday through Friday, February 13 – 14, 2025, led to severe flooding and landslides across the island of Kefalonia, Greece. Rainfall totals exceeded 150 mm (5.90 inches) over two days, causing widespread damage.
Flooding in Kephalonia on Friday, February 14, 2025. Image credit: Apostolos Travlos
Heavy rainfall of 70 mm (2.76 inches) on February 13 and another 81 mm (3.19 inches) early on February 14 triggered severe flooding, landslides, and debris flows across the island of Kefalonia. Multiple people, including children, ended up trapped in their vehicles.
The mayor of Argostoli, Theofilos Michalatos, requested that the municipality be placed under a state of emergency, except for the Community of Nifio and the DE of Pylaros, where the severe weather effects were brought under control.
Michalatos also requested the activation of the state emergency mechanism under Civil Protection protocols for extreme weather conditions.
Poros, Karouza, Vlachata, and Peratata were among the hardest-hit areas, experiencing significant flooding and damage.
In the Peratata plain, near the Monastery of Saint Andrew Milapidias, heavy rainfall caused streams to overflow, resulting in significant damage. The downpour turned fields and roads into waterlogged areas, prompting firefighting teams to pump water from flooded homes and yards.
A large temporary lake reportedly formed in the Peratata plain, near the Monastery of Saint Andrew Milapidias, while flooding and mudslides damaged or blocked several roads, leading to multiple route closures.
A section of Provincial Road 2 (Venetian), near the old bridge at the Trapezaki intersection, was closed due to extensive damage. Vehicles traveling on this route are being redirected via Provincial Road 1 (Argostoli – Poros).
The last section of Provincial Road 1, on the Poros – Skala route, sustained damage to the road surface at the “Limnia” location due to the extreme weather of the past two days. Traffic is being rerouted via Provincial Roads 1 (Poros – Argostoli) and 12 (Plateies – Skala).
Access to Trapezaki Beach has been cut off from both roads, one of which was destroyed, while the other was transformed into a stream by the extreme flooding. A landslide was also reported at Ammes Beach in Svoronata.
Storm activity may intensify in the west from Saturday night until Sunday noon, February 15 – 16. Western Greece could receive 30 – 40 mm (1.18 – 1.57 inches) of rainfall, while the Ionian Sea, Western Central Greece, and the Peloponnese may experience storms on Sunday morning.
References:
1 Πλημμύρες και κατολισθήσεις στην Κεφαλονιά από την κακοκαιρία – Ο δήμαρχος ζητά να κηρυχθεί σε κατάσταση έκτακτης ανάγκης στο Αργοστόλι – OEMA – February 14, 2025
2 Floods in Kefalonia: Kapatos in the field of destruction – eKeflonia.gr – February 15, 2025
Rishav Kothari is Editor-in-Chief of The Watchers, where he runs the newsroom and covers earthquakes, volcanoes, severe weather and space weather.
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