On a remote Greek island, empty classrooms signal a crisis across Europe

Floods caused by heavy storms have disrupted life on the Greek holiday island of Crete, local officials reported on Saturday. The torrential rain trapped some residents in their cars and prompted evacuations of tourists, according to Mayor Manolis Frangoulis of the Cretan port city of Ierapetra. The town, located on the island's southeast coast, was hit by the flooding on Friday and Saturday, with roads filled with debris and cars left stranded in the sea.

State television channel ERT reported that the flooding near Ierapetra trapped 23 people in their vehicles. In another incident, three tourists and their taxi driver were forced to abandon their vehicle as flood waters carried it away. The civil protection agency urged residents in several towns to limit their movements due to the ongoing threat.

Damage was also reported at the popular tourist destination of Canea, where giant waves battered seafront restaurants and other tourist venues. The deputy governor of the Heraklion region, Nikos Syrigonakis, stated that emergency services were working to clear small landslides and remove debris from local roads. Authorities remained on high alert, monitoring water levels in streams and rivers.

Between Friday and Saturday, 42 centimeters of rain fell in the Canea department, according to the Greek national observatory. Wind speeds reached up to eight and nine on the Beaufort Scale, reported the EMY weather service.