News / EU

Hundreds evacuated as floods inundate northwest Greece

Sunday, 01 February 2015 2:50 PM [ Last Update: Sunday, 01 February 2015 2:50 PM ]

Huge waves hit a promenade in a suburb of Athens, Greece, February 1, 2015.

Authorities in Greece have evacuated hundreds of people following flash floods caused by heavy rains in large areas of the country’s northwestern region.

At least four rivers overflowed in Greece’s Epirus region on Sunday, forcing residents to evacuate several villages.

Authorities have not reported any injuries or deaths.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras urged experts from the infrastructure and culture ministries to travel to the flooded areas and investigate damages, including those to roads and monuments. The premier also expressed grief at the loss of a famous 18th-century stone bridge near the city of Arta. Reports say the historic Plaka Bridge, the largest one-arch bridge in the country, has collapsed as a result of the flooding.

The flash floods come at particularly difficult economic times for Greece. The cash-strapped country struggles with tough anti-austerity policies, which have caused mounting dissatisfaction.

The measures have forced people to endure multiple tax increases, along with cuts in pensions and salaries, in exchange for bailout loans by a troika of international lenders.

GMA/HJL/SS

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