Severe rainstorms in Greece, Turkey, and Bulgaria result in a minimum of 6 fatalities due to flooding.

ATHENS, Greece — Fierce rainstorms battered neighboring Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria on Tuesday, triggering flooding that caused at least six deaths, including two holidaymakers swept away by a torrent that raged through a campsite in northwestern Turkey.

Four individuals are currently unaccounted for following a sudden flood that engulfed the camping area in Kirklareli province, situated close to the Bulgarian border. According to Ali Yerlikaya, the Turkish Interior Minister, approximately 12 holidaymakers were present at the location when the floodwaters struck.

On X, the social media platform previously referred to as Twitter, he stated that search teams had discovered two corpses. He further mentioned that the search and rescue operations for the remaining (four) individuals are ongoing without any interruptions.

Rescuers were captured on television carrying a young girl and an adult to safety as they waded through waist-high waters in certain locations. HaberTurk television reported that the heavy rainfall also caused damage and led to the closure of a major road.

Istanbul, the biggest city in Turkey, experienced severe rainfall which caused flooding in two residential areas, resulting in the unfortunate death of one individual. A number of individuals were rescued from a library where they were stranded, and certain subway stations had to be closed. Davut Gul, the Governor of Istanbul, advised motorcyclists to remain at home.

The police in Greece have prohibited traffic in the central town of Volos, the mountainous area of Pilion, and the resort island of Skiathos due to unprecedented rainfall. This extreme weather has resulted in at least one fatality, with streets being flooded by torrents of water reaching thigh-high levels and vehicles being carried away.

The wall collapsing and crushing a man resulted in his death, according to the fire department. Additionally, there are reports of five individuals who have gone missing, potentially being carried away by floodwaters.

Cellphone alerts were issued by authorities in various regions of central Greece, including the Sporades island chain and the island of Evia, advising individuals to restrict their outdoor activities.

Due to excessive rainfall, rivers in the Pilion region flooded and washed away vehicles into the ocean. Additionally, landslides caused road blockages, a small bridge was swept away, and numerous areas experienced power outages. As a precautionary measure, officials evacuated a retirement home in Volos.

The weather service of Greece reported that a village in the Pilion region experienced 75.4 centimeters (approximately 30 inches) of rainfall on Tuesday night, which is the highest amount recorded since at least 2006. It was mentioned that the average yearly precipitation in the Athens region is approximately 40 centimeters (15.75 inches).

The country’s minister of climate crisis and civil protection, Vassilis Kikilias, said the heavy rain was expected to ease up after midday Wednesday. He advised people in affected areas to stay indoors.

A powerful storm follows the recent devastating summer wildfires in Greece, which lasted for over two weeks and caused extensive damage to forests and farmland. Tragically, the fires claimed the lives of more than 20 individuals.

The Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, attributed the occurrence of both wildfires and storms to climate change. However, he acknowledged that his center-right government did not handle the wildfire situation as effectively as they had hoped.

On Tuesday, he expressed concern that the carefree summers we were familiar with may no longer exist, and future summers are expected to be increasingly challenging.

In Bulgaria’s more northern region, Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov reported that two individuals lost their lives and three are currently unaccounted for as a result of a storm that resulted in flooding along the southern coast of the Black Sea.

Overflowing rivers caused severe damage to roads and bridges. The area also suffered power blackouts, and authorities warned residents not to drink tap water due to contamination from floodwaters.

Strong gusts of wind caused waves measuring 2 meters (equivalent to 6 feet) to forcefully collide with the shores of popular vacation destinations, coinciding with heavy rainfall that resulted in the inundation of streets and residences.

TV footage showed cars and camper vans being swept out to sea in the hardest-hit southern resort town of Tsarevo. Authorities declared a state of emergency in Tsarevo and urged people to move upstairs as the ground floors of some hotels were inundated.