A severe weather alert has been issued for the Attica region of Greece, which includes Athens, over concerns of heavy rainfall, putting holidays booked by British tourists at risk.
A warning for rain and thunderstorms, according to the Hellenic National Meteorological Service, is set to start at 3pm and last until 6pm on Wednesday. Disruptions to transport, business and utilities are also possible.
Adverse weather conditions are forecast across much of Greece to last until at least September 21, with heavy rainfall and thunderstorms forecast.
The worst of the weather is likely to concentrate in northern and western regions.
Orange heavy rainfall and thunderstorm warnings, the middle level on a three-tier scale, have been issued for Central and West Macedonia, Epirus and West Sterea regions.
A yellow warning has also been issued for East Sterea and Evia, the Ionian Islands (including Corfu, Kefalonia and Zakynthos) and the Thessaly regions.
Strong winds, lightning and possible hail may accompany the storms, while heavy downpours may trigger flooding in low-lying areas and developed areas with easily overwhelmed stormwater drainage systems and strong winds could cause property damage and power outages.
Landslides are also possible in hilly or mountainous areas, especially where heavy rain has saturated the soil.
“Authorities could issue mandatory evacuation orders for flood-prone communities over the coming days,” warned Crisis24. “Floodwaters and debris flows could render some bridges or roadways impassable, impacting overland travel in and around affected areas. Ponding on road surfaces could cause hazardous driving conditions on regional highways.”
“Flight delays and cancellations at airports are possible.”
The warning comes as the wider continent continues to be battered by Storm Boris, which has killed 21 people in Central Europe as of Tuesday. Six people, including four firefighters, have died in northern Portugal alone, according to The Independent.
British tourists to countries including the Czech Republic and Poland have also been warned of severe flooding and urged to check local conditions before travelling.
Attica is home to some of the world’s most important and fascinating museums and archaeological sites, making it incredibly popular with tourists, especially at this time of year when the weather is, usually, in the mid-to-late- 20s but not as hot as the summer months.
The administrative region encompasses the entire Athens metropolitan area, which saw a record-breaking number of international tourists, with nearly 7.1 million inbound air arrivals. In total, Greece saw 36.1 million tourists, making it the 10th most visited country in the world. The Acropolis is the main attraction, with about 83 percent of leisure visitors coming to the site.