Over the past 25 years, Greece has faced a steady increase in extreme weather events that have significantly impacted communities, infrastructure, and human lives. According to data from the High-Impact Weather Events database developed by the METEO unit of the National Observatory of Athens, between 2000 and 2025 there were 633 recorded events causing social and economic disruption, along with 294 human fatalities, averaging about 11 deaths per year.
Dr. Katerina Papagiannaki, a functional scientist at the Observatory’s Institute for Environmental and Sustainable Development Research, explains that comparing the first and second halves of this 25-year period reveals sharp increases: events with socio-economic consequences rose by 58%, severe events by 35%, and human losses by 72%. “This shows that it’s not just more frequent events, but events with stronger impacts, leaving cumulative and long-term effects,” she notes.
Interestingly, 2025 was the first year without human deaths from extreme weather—excluding heatwaves, for which reliable data remain limited.
Urban vs. Rural Impacts
While urban centers register the most frequent events due to dense development, the most severe impacts have often occurred in rural regions. Areas in Thessaly, Halkidiki, and Euboea, for instance, have faced extreme events that caused significant economic damage and human casualties, illustrating that the intensity of an event is not always tied to population density.
Building a “Risk Memory”
The HIWE-DB database systematically records extreme weather events and their social and economic consequences. It categorizes incidents by severity and tracks long-term impacts, from infrastructure damage to disruptions in transportation and essential services. Dr. Papagiannaki emphasizes that “without systematic recording, each incident is treated in isolation. Our data reveal recurring vulnerabilities and help guide both research and public preparedness.”
The Role of Resilience
Experts highlight resilience as crucial in facing climate change, which is advancing at near worst-case projections. “Stronger storms and longer-lasting events require a comprehensive approach to resilience,” Dr. Papagiannaki explains. Effective resilience depends on continuous monitoring, early warning systems, public communication, and strengthening preventive measures.
Infrastructure planning plays a central role: roads, drainage systems, landslide-prone areas, and older buildings are critical factors in determining the severity of impacts. By combining historical data with current planning, local authorities can better protect communities from future extreme events.
Learning from Past Mistakes
Urban development over the past decades has often converted agricultural lands into built-up areas without adequate planning, sometimes even over natural waterways. “Recurring floods in places like Rhodes are directly linked to past land-use decisions,” Dr. Papagiannaki points out. She stresses that future spatial and urban planning must incorporate historical weather data and vulnerability assessments to reduce risks.
The 25-year record underscores that extreme weather is not only increasing in frequency but also in severity, making long-term planning and resilience strategies essential for protecting lives, economies, and infrastructure across Greece.
