Athens, Greece – Heavy storms lashed southeastern Greece, leaving three people dead and forcing authorities to declare a state of emergency Wednesday on three islands.
Floodwaters swamped hundreds of homes and shops and falling rock and raging torrents disrupted road transport on the three islands, Leros and Astypalaia in the Dodecanese, and areas of western Crete.
Two swimmers drowned Wednesday in rough waves off the holiday island of Rhodes, officials said.
On Crete, a truck driver was killed late Tuesday in mudslides near the city of Hania, while floodwaters swept parked cars into the sea in coastal areas and heavy rain caused extensive damage to crops.
Rescuers were also searching for a man missing since Tuesday night after floodwaters swept his car off the road. The empty vehicle was found Wednesday.
Island ferry schedules were disrupted by gale-force winds, which reached 10 on the Beaufort scale in parts of the Aegean.
Officials said conditions had improved since Tuesday, though more storms were expected today.
Earlier this month, parts of northern and central Greece also were affected by severe flooding.
