Storm system Erminio hits Greece: flooding in Attica, one victim, and Saharan dust shrouds Crete

The storm system known as Erminio, which moved in from the western Mediterranean, struck Greece on Wednesday, April 1, and continued into Thursday. It brought torrential rain, with winds reaching force 9 on the Beaufort scale (roughly 75 to 88 km/h). The situation on Crete was further worsened by an influx of Saharan dust from North Africa, which caused an unusual red-orange coloring of the sky and reduced visibility to below one kilometer. GreekReporter ↗

In the Attica region, the storm claimed one human life. A man of Polish nationality, approximately fifty years old, was found in Nea Makri, where his body was discovered under a flooded vehicle. He lived in a basement apartment that was flooded with water, and when he tried to get out, he was swept away by the current. Firefighters recovered the body in the early morning hours on Thursday. Euronews ↗

The situation deteriorated significantly after 11:00 p.m. on Wednesday. In the Attica region alone, firefighters recorded 483 incidents: 191 fallen trees, 168 cases of flooding, and 33 rescue operations. In total, emergency services in Greece received 674 emergency calls. On the coastal road near Rafina, rescuers had to free passengers from a bus as well as several passenger cars that had become stuck in a flooded section. Euronews ↗

On the island of Poros, flooded roads brought traffic to a standstill, and surges of water swept away several cars. Schools on the island remained closed on Friday. Problems were also reported from Rhodes and eastern Crete. The Greek meteorological service issued red warnings for Attica, the eastern Peloponnese, Thessaly, and the Dodecanese. GreekReporter ↗

Crete also faced an influx of Saharan dust from North Africa. Strong southerly winds brought large amounts of dust particles from Libya and Egypt, shrouding the island in a thick orange-red haze. Residents of Heraklion, Rethymno, and Chania described visibility below one kilometer. Air quality monitoring stations in Rethymno recorded nearly 1,000 µg/m³, several times higher than normal limits and a level hazardous to the respiratory system. Athens Times ↗

Nikos Kazantzakis Airport in Heraklion had to divert three incoming international flights to Chania, Athens, and Corfu, as visibility on the runway dropped below the safe minimum. Similar sky coloring was reported from Santorini as well. Health authorities issued a warning particularly for seniors, asthmatics, and people with cardiovascular conditions. Al Jazeera ↗

The flow of Saharan dust across the Mediterranean affects Greece several times a year, but this time it combined with unusually strong rainfall and wind. According to the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, the intensity of these episodes has been increasing in recent years, which scientists link to changes in atmospheric circulation.