The freak storm that plagued Rhodes on Friday resulted in three deaths – one man and two women – while rescue teams are searching for a man who went missing during the storm. Rescue teams from all over Greece rushed to Rhodes on Saturday morning to help in the rescue operations.
The rescue services reported that one couple, a 67-year-old man and his 54-year-old Cypriot wife, went missing when their car was swept away by a river in the Maritsa area, near the city of Ialysos. The rescue services also recovered the body of a 27-year-old school teacher, who was on board a car with two colleagues that was swept away by the heavy rain. One of the two colleagues, a 30-year-old man, managed to save himself, while the third passenger, a 53-year-old English teacher, is still missing.
The unprecedented storm caused many damages to homes, businesses and cars, with many residents in Ialysos and Petaloudes finding shelter in local hotels. The island is currently in a state of emergency as Civil Protection, the South Aegean Regional Government and municipal authorities being to document and address the damages.
The Fire Brigade, which received 290 calls, committed 15 crews with 35 firefighters and the support of a group of 30 soldiers to tackle the problems caused by the extreme weather conditions. Many buildings flooded, while the power supply to Ialysos has been problematic and the road network in many areas around the island has been damaged.
