Severe weather battered northeastern Greece on Thursday, causing widespread flooding, road closures and disruptions across the Evros region, where students were temporarily trapped inside a school after rainwater inundated surrounding areas.
The storm system brought heavy rainfall and strong winds to Thrace from early morning, leading to flash floods and forcing authorities to halt traffic on key routes in Evros, a border region in northeastern Greece near Turkey and Bulgaria.
According to local news outlet e-evros.gr, traffic was suspended on the old National Road near Alexandroupoli Airport, as well as in the area of Nipsa, due to extensive flooding. Additional problems were reported in the settlement of Apalos, where stormwater covered sections of the road network and public spaces.
In Apalos, floodwaters once again cut off large parts of the community, including the local elementary school, leaving students unable to leave the building for a period of time, according to local news website pameevro.gr. The incident revived painful memories for residents, as similar flooding has occurred in the past. In 2021 a firefighter lost his life while on duty after being swept away by floodwaters in the same area.
Nipsa also remained isolated, with traffic suspended on the provincial road connecting Nipsa and Doriko, as well as on both service roads running alongside the Egnatia Odos, the major highway linking northern Greece from east to west.
Maritime travel was also affected. Authorities imposed a sailing ban on the ferry route between Alexandroupoli and the island of Samothrace due to adverse weather conditions, further highlighting the storm’s impact on regional connectivity.
Authorities issued appeals for heightened caution, urging residents and drivers to avoid flooded or high-risk areas as emergency crews monitored conditions across the region.
Meanwhile, weather forecasters warned that Evros may face further severe conditions in the coming days. According to Evrosmeteo, there is an increased likelihood of very heavy snowfall beginning Sunday afternoon and potentially continuing into Monday, raising concerns about additional disruptions following the flooding.
