Six tourists die after massive storm sweeps Greece

World Thursday 11/July/2019 14:16 PM
By: Times News Service
Six tourists die after massive storm sweeps Greece

Athens: Six tourists have been killed and at least 30 have been injured in a violent storm that swept across a region of northern Greece.

Gale-force winds, heavy rain and hailstorms lashed Halkidiki, near the city of Thessaloniki, late on Wednesday, Greek officials have revealed.

A Czech couple died when their caravan was blown away, and two Romanians and two Russians were also killed.

A state of emergency has been declared in Greece and more than 100 rescue workers have been deployed.

Head of Civil Protection in northern Greece, Charalambos Steriadis, described the conditions as an "unprecedented phenomenon."

The storm followed a spell of very hot weather in Greece with temperatures soaring to 37 degrees over the past two days.

Images and video posted on social media show trees toppled, cars overturned and buildings damaged.