Crete: 23 rescued from overnight flooding, new 112 message for Mylopotamos

In the early hours of Saturday, serious problems were recorded in Ierapetra and mainly in Ferma and Makris Gialos in eastern Crete, where the Fire Brigade rescued 23 people from vehicles and homes, as cretalive reports.

The Fire Department has received dozens of calls for water pumping, after homes and businesses were flooded by the large amount of water. In Flamouriana, in the municipality of Agios Nikolaos, large volumes of water carried materials and debris onto the roads, and crews are working to clear them.

At midday on Saturday, a new 112 message was sent for Mylopotamos in Rethymno: “112 activation. Severe weather phenomena in the wider area of the municipality of Mylopotamos in the regional unit of Rethymno. Limit your movements and go to higher ground. Follow the instructions of the authorities.” Residents were ordered to limit their movements and move to higher ground, following the authorities’ instructions.

Meanwhile, the Greek meteorological service EMY updated its emergency bulletin on dangerous weather phenomena. According to EMY’s updated bulletin, in Crete the warning remains red today until the early afternoon hours, then turns orange from late afternoon until Sunday morning; in the southernmost parts of the Dodecanese, an orange warning from Saturday midday until Sunday midday; while in the Aegean, northeasterly winds of force 8–9 Beaufort are expected today until the afternoon.

After the meeting of the Civil Protection Coordination Body, the region of Crete remains in a state of mobilisation — the Red Code is extended until Sunday, according to Lifo. The storm has been hitting Crete since 30 September.