The severe rainstorms impacting Greece, Turkey, and Bulgaria have claimed 14 lives as of Wednesday, with seven more bodies recovered by rescue teams across these neighboring nations.
In northwestern Turkey, close to the Bulgarian border, a flash flood at a campsite resulted in at least five deaths, including three discovered on Wednesday. Bungalow homes were swept away, and rescuers are still searching for one missing individual.
Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city, experienced two fatalities due to Tuesday’s storms, which inundated numerous homes and businesses. A 32-year-old Guinean citizen was found dead in his basement apartment in the Kucukcekmece district, and a 57-year-old woman was swept away in a different area.
Storms in Greece and Bulgaria result in casualties, widespread flooding, and traffic disruptions.The floods impacted over 1,750 properties, including shops in the Ikitelli district, where vehicles and mud destroyed store merchandise.
In Greece, record rainfall led to three deaths near Volos and Karditsa, with three others reported missing. Authorities imposed traffic bans in Volos, the mountain region of Pilion, and Skiathos, where many homes were left without electricity and water. The storms are expected to persist until at least Thursday afternoon.
Bulgaria’s southern Black Sea coast faced severe flooding due to the storm, with two bodies recovered from the sea, raising the death toll in the country to four.
The southern resort town of Tsarevo declared a state of emergency as cars and camper vans were swept out to sea. Most local rivers overflowed, destroying several bridges and creating significant traffic issues. Tourism Minister Zaritsa Dinkova noted that around 4,000 people were affected, with dangerous conditions hindering transport for tourists.