One dead as floods hit Greek island of Crete

A man died on the Greek island of Crete amid floods caused by heavy rainfall and strong winds that confined many ferries to port, officials and reports said Thursday.

Media reported that the body of a 79-year-old shepherd missing since Wednesday had been found in a ravine. A couple swept away by floodwater in Heraklion were rescued by firefighters, the ANA state news agency said.

Greek government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis on Thursday said parts of Crete have been hit by over 150 millimetres (six inches) of rain.

The Rethymno, Heraklion and Lasithi regions have been particularly badly hit by the storm, according to Civil Protection.

Debris carried by the flood water blocked roads and several municipalities reported major damage, ANA said.

Schools in the northern Hania and Rethymno regions closed Thursday as a precaution.

Winds of up to 88 kilometres (54 miles) per hour confined Aegean Sea ferries to port in two of Athens' three main harbours, Rafina and Lavrio.

ANA said firefighters responded to 21 incidents in Crete, including 15 in Heraklion, involving pumping operations and the transport of people.

The mayor of Mylopotamos in Rethymno, Giorgos Klados, told the site cretalive.gr that "the situation is dramatic."

"I am 50 years old and I don't remember anything like this ever happening," he said.

According to images posted on social media and news reports, roads on the islands of Paros and Mykonos islands were also flooded and cars swept away by mud.