A man lost his life after severe flooding swept through Nea Makri, a coastal town roughly 30 miles northeast of Athens, as Storm Erminio unleashed torrential rain and powerful winds across the northeastern Attica region.
The victim, a Polish national in his 50s who had lived in the area for nearly a decade, is believed to have been trapped when floodwaters rushed into the basement unit where he resided, rising to nearly three feet within minutes. According to initial reports, he made it to the street in an attempt to escape, only for the force of the rushing water to sweep him off his feet. He was later found pinned beneath a parked car that authorities believe had itself been displaced by the flood.
Firefighters arrived with two vehicles and a crew of four, but despite their efforts, the man was pulled from the water unconscious. Emergency medical services transported him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Neighbors described the scene as devastating. Residents told reporters that the victim’s home had been completely swallowed by the floodwaters, and that he had reportedly tried to grip a fence railing before being carried away by the current.
A region overwhelmed
The death underscored the scale of destruction that Storm Erminio brought to northeastern Attica, a densely populated area that includes the suburbs and coastal towns stretching from Athens toward the port town of Rafina.
Streets turned into fast-moving rivers. Courtyards and underground garages filled with water. Boundary walls collapsed. Cars were carried from one neighborhood to another. Warehouses and ground-floor apartments sustained heavy damage, with basement and ground-level units proving particularly vulnerable.
Power outages added to the chaos, caused by fallen utility poles. Crews from Greece’s electricity distribution operator, DEDDIE, worked through the night and into the morning to restore service.
Hundreds of emergency calls
Greece’s fire service received more than 250 emergency calls from across northeastern Attica — including the towns of Dionyssos, Stamata, Nea Makri and Rafina — for flooding assistance, fallen trees and debris removal. Officials said the number was expected to climb as damage assessments continued.
Local infrastructure experts have long flagged the area’s lack of adequate stormwater drainage systems, a problem that compounds the risk when heavy rainfall strikes. Much of the region’s road network lacks basic runoff infrastructure, making it ill-equipped to handle the volumes of water that intense storms can bring.
