Severe floods strike Greek holiday islands Paros and Mykonos
Severe floods swept through the Greek holiday islands of Paros and Mykonos on Monday, March 31, 2025, as a powerful storm over the Aegean Sea passed over the islands. Travel bans were issued for both islands as crews worked to clear roads that were blocked by landslides and floodwaters. Schools remained closed on the islands through Tuesday, April 1, 2025.
Flooding in Paros on April 1, 2025. Image credit: Hellenic Rescue Team
13 people were stranded on the Greek island of Paros on Monday, March 31, as a powerful storm over the Aegean Sea caused flash flooding following heavy rain and hail. The stranded citizens were rescued and taken home by firefighters. While no injuries or fatalities were reported, the floods caused extensive damage to roads and infrastructure across several Greek islands.
Torrential rain in the towns of Parikia and Naousa resulted in floodwaters that carried away vehicles and debris, while landslides blocked several roads across the region. The remaining routes were inundated with floodwaters, prompting the civil protection authorities to issue an emergency travel ban on Paros.
Municipal crews and private contractors worked to clear roads blocked by fallen rocks while emergency services rescued stranded motorists.
Schools on Paros remained closed through Tuesday, April 1, with authorities urging residents to stay indoors. Schools were also closed on other nearby islands, including Syros, Symi, Kalymnos, and Kos.
Flooding on nearby Mykonos was relatively less severe, while hail covered the grasslands on Tuesday morning. Excavators were used to clear debris and floodwaters, which surged past seafront cafés and restaurants. A travel ban was issued for the Island on Tuesday, exempting emergency vehicles.
Severe weather also affected Syros, where a heavy hailstorm struck shortly after 15:00 local time (LT) on Monday despite clear skies earlier in the day.
The severe weather continued on Tuesday, with heavy rainfall also reported on the islands of Chios, Samos, and Crete, with flood sweeping vehicles and damaging infrastructure across the region.
According to the National Observatory of Athens, Mykonos received approximately 71.6 mm (2.82 inches) of rain by 20:20 LT on March 31 day, with 65 mm (2.56 inches) falling within a two-hour period between 17:10 and 19:10 LT. Paros recorded about 36.6 mm (1.44 inches) of rainfall during the same timeframe.
Reference:
1 Powerful storm brings flooding to Greek islands Paros and Mykonos – Sky News – April 1, 2025
2 Devastating floods strike Greek tourist islands ahead of Easter break – The Independent – April 1, 2025
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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