Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey are experiencing heavy rainfall and flooding. The storm has killed at least nine people.
In Turkey, three campers died when they were surprised by flooding. Two people were also killed in the storm in Istanbul, where parts of the city are under water. Thunderstorms and flooding in the city trapped dozens of people in a library.
In neighboring Bulgaria, two people died in the coastal region. In the seaside resort of Tsarevo, houses, campsites and hotels are under water. Cars were swept away and bridges collapsed. The storm that rages over the lands has been named Daniel and leaves a trail of destruction behind.
In the Greek region of Pelion, Greeks speak of unparalleled rainfall:
Greece has been struggling with the consequences of storm Daniel since Monday. After a period of intense forest fires, parts of the country are experiencing flooding. Yesterday a man was killed when a wall collapsed. The Greek fire brigade found the body of an elderly woman under a pile of wood today.
Even today the bad weather continues. The National Meteorological Institute of Greece expects a total of 650 to 700 millimeters of rain to fall in the Pelion region, north of Athens, these days. That is more than normally falls in a whole year in Athens (about 400 millimeters).
The heavy rainfall is the result of the El Niño weather phenomenon, which warms up the water in the ocean. A warmer ocean leads to more rain, because more water evaporates.
According to Bulgarian Climate Minister Popov, the infrastructure in his country is not designed for extreme weather. “Climate change means a greater risk of extreme events. We can expect severe and frequent rainfall in the future,” he told Bulgarian broadcaster Nova Televizia.
- After forest fires, part of Greece is now experiencing flooding
- Greek forest fires largely under control, rain on the way
- European Commissioner: wildfire in northern Greece is ‘biggest ever in the EU’
