Seven people — including a toddler and one eight-year-old boy — were killed while 140 others were injured after gale-force winds, rain and freak hail storms struck the Halkidiki peninsula in northern Greece.
Officials have declared a state of emergency in Halkidiki — with Greece’s newly appointed citizens’ protection minister set to visit this morning.
Such severe weather is unusual in Greece, where summers are typically hot and dry.
Meteorologist Klearxos Marousakis described conditions as «extremely unusual» for this time of year.
Dramatic footage shows strong winds sweeping through a restaurant in the region, which is popular with tourists in the summer.
British holidaymakers were trapped in their hotels, buildings were damaged and cars were overturned in the carnage.
A 39-year-old man and a boy, aged two, who are believed to be from Russia, died after a tree fell on their vehicle, according to the Greek Reporter.
Two elderly Czech nationals were killed when strong winds swept away their travel trailer in Halkidiki, police said.
A woman and an eight-year-old boy, both from Romania, were killed after a roof collapsed on a restaurant in Nea Plagia.
The death toll from the violent storm increased to seven on Thursday, after a body found at sea off the coast of the stricken area was identified as that of a missing fisherman.
The body of the 62-year-old was located by an air force helicopter 6.8 nautical miles off the coast of the Halkidiki peninsula, and was later identified by relatives, the coast guard said.
The fisherman had taken his boat out Wednesday afternoon shortly before the storm and had been missing since.
Athansios Kaltsas, director of the Nea Moudania Medical Centre, said: «It is the first time in my 25-year career that I have lived through something like this. It was so abrupt, and so sudden.»
Were you caught up in the storms in Greece? Email debbie.white@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368
Patients taken to the clinic ranged in age from eight months to more than 70-years-old.
Some suffered head injuries from trees and other falling objects.
Officials have declared a state of emergency in Halkidiki and Greece’s newly appointed citizens’ protection minister is due to visit this morning.
The fire service rescued 30 people from buildings due to the bad weather and at least 140 firefighters worked through the night.
Such severe weather is unusual in Greece, where summers are typically hot and dry.
Meteorologist Klearxos Marousakis described conditions as «extremely unusual» for this time of year.
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