A 58-year-old German tourist died after being struck by lightning on the island of Rhodes, Greek media reported Friday, as a storm front swept across the Aegean Sea for the second day in a row.
According to the state news agency ANA, the accident occurred on a beach near the seaside resort of Lardos, where the victim was walking with her husband, who was also injured.
The Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection said on Friday that the Dodecanese islands, the archipelago to which Rhodes belongs, would be hit by storms on Saturday.
On Thursday, an elderly shepherd was found dead on the island of Crete, hit by flooding caused by heavy rains which damaged roads and washed away cars.
Heavy rainfall expected
Further rainfall is expected in Crete until Sunday. According to public television channel ERT, the equivalent of two years of precipitation could fall on Crete by Sunday in Athens.
Winds reaching 88 km/h have forced many ferries to remain docked since Thursday, disrupting connections with several islands in the Aegean Sea.
This speed is just below storm threshold, and such conditions can make navigation difficult and dangerous.
Stormy episodes are not unusual at this time in the Mediterranean region, where October marks the start of the rainy season. Their intensity can cause flash floods in islands and coastal areas.
Warming of the atmosphere can intensify heavy precipitation and increase the risk of flooding.
