Storms, torrential rain and hail hit the Greek Cycladic islands on 31 March 2025, causing flooding that stranded both people and vehicles and have resulted in school closures and traffic bans.
The islands of Paros, Syros and Mykonos suffered some of the worst effects of the extreme weather system that swept across the Aegean and is set to bring more storms, according to meteorological forecasts. Red warnings are in place and other islands, including Chios, Ikaria, and Samos, as well as parts of Crete and the Dodecanese are also expected to feel the effects.
🚨Awful images coming from from the island of Paros in Greece. pic.twitter.com/yeKm8DFsOO
— Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) March 31, 2025
On Paros, vehicles and refuse bins were washed along town centre streets gushing with water. Two people trapped in cars were rescued, authorities have confirmed, and 13 others also needed firefighter assistance. Footage shared by Sky News shows brown waters about a metre deep violently churning past observers on higher ground.
Schools have been closed and road traffic has now been temporarily banned. Local mayor Konstantinos Bizas said the Naoussa River had burst its banks creating a dangerous situation along the road between the ports of Naoussa and Parikia. Reinforcements have been sent from the Greek capital Athens and neighbouring Naxos.
“We need help with more machines so that we can clear the streets,” Bizas told public broadcaster ERT, noting how quickly the risks had accumulated. “All this catastrophe happened in two hours.”
Severe flooding due to extreme rainfall in Naousa of Paros, Greece 🇬🇷 (31.03.2025) pic.twitter.com/GeI6v1aelO
— Disaster News (@Top_Disaster) March 31, 2025
Excavators were also being used to clear debris and carve out a path for floodwaters on Mykonos to the north, where hailstones accumulated across the landscape. Authorities have declared “Everyone is safe” but again, a traffic ban is in place and schools are closed – as they are on Kalymnos, Kos, Symi, and Syros.
Southern European countries and those bordering the Mediterranean have raised the alarm in recent years about the effects of climate change on livelihoods and landscapes hit by drought, wildfires, severe storms, and flooding. Climate experts note that the Mediterranean is a hotspot of global warming, which warms seawater and creates more intense storm systems.
Several cars swept way by heavy floods in Naousa of Paros, Greece 🇬🇷 (31.03.2025) pic.twitter.com/xCf36HJ8TU
— Disaster News (@Top_Disaster) March 31, 2025
High-profile incidents illustrating the problem include the drowning of tech tycoon Mike Lynch in 2024, along with friends and family, when a violent so-called downburst or waterspout hit his yacht, the Bayesian off the coast of Sicily. And in Greece’s Volos, a 2023 storm that caused 17 deaths, also led to heavy flooding on the Thessaly Plains sending a tide of dead fish to block the port area, swamping locals with the smell of rotting carcasses and risk of disease.
The current storm system and damage come at a particularly bad time for Greece’s economy, as holidaymakers prepare to head to sunshine destinations for Easter.
