Heavy winds in several Greek seas have disrupted passenger ship schedules on Saturday, resulting in the cancellation of ferry sailings from Greek mainland ports to Aegean and Ionian island destinations.
As extreme weather swept the mainland and islands, streets were flooded and properties damaged from Alexandroupolis in the northeast to Patras and Missolonghi in the west. The National Meteorological Service warned that winds would reach gale-force strength of 8 on the Beaufort scale, even rising to 9 at some locations, in both the Aegean and Ionian Seas.
Authorities are advising travelers to remain alert for updates on ferry sailings through the local port offices and travel agencies, as it is very likely that more schedules or changes will be announced through the weekend.
Ferry cancellations throughout Saturday in Greece
Travel by ferry to the Greek islands was forecast to continue to be affected later during the day.
According to the Hellenic Coast Guard, morning schedules of ships leaving from Piraeus to the Cyclades and the East and North Aegean islands were cancelled.
The impact of strong winds was captured on camera at the port of Tinos island.
The Saturday afternoon sailing of Blue Star Chios was also cancelled, affecting travel to Thira (Santorini), Anafi, Heraklion, Sitia, Karpathos, Diafani, Chalki, and Rhodes. At the Argosaronic Gulf, only conventional ferries were allowed to sail, while at the port of Rafina, schedules for Marmari port on Evia operated as normal. Those to the Cycladic islands of Andros, Tinos, and Mykonos were cancelled.
At Lavrio port, morning sailings were cancelled. In addition, schedules at the straits of Igoumenitsa – Lefkimmi – Corfu on the Ionian Sea and the Rio – Antirrio ferry connection in the Gulf of Corinth were also cancelled on Saturday.
Greek mainland cities damaged by gusts of wind, hail
Besides port areas flooded by the storms, many city streets in affected regions were also impacted by winds, hail, and rainfall. The airport of Alexandroupolis in northeastern Greece suffered material damages from strong winds as did the rest of city, but the flights schedule was not affected.
Trees were uprooted and terrace tables overturned when the city was hit by gusts of wind that reached 140 km/hour (87 miles/hr) and lasted fifteen minutes.
The local mayor warned citizens to stay away for parks, playgrounds, and heavy road signals until authorities have completed safety checks in affected areas. Similar damages were suffered in Missolonghi, western Greece, where the port was hit by a tornado.
The port city of Patras in the northern Peloponnese was also impacted by strong winds and a hail storm. Streets were flooded around the port as well as in the center and residential areas of the city.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
