Greece’s Deputy Civil Protection and Crisis Management Minister Nikos Hardalias announced that five people had died in flash floods that struck the island of Evia, while one is still missing. Later, a couple aged 42 and 37 years of age were found dead in Amphithea, raising the total tally up to seven.
A meeting was held on Sunday at the town hall of Vasiliko on the island, before Mr Hardalias announced the death of an eight-month-old baby, an elderly couple from the village of Politika and two others who died in their attempt to escape the floodwaters.
“It is a difficult day after a difficult night,” Mr Hardalias said.
A missing man was rescued on Sunday afternoon, but a missing woman swept away by the floodwater while attempting to leave her home in Bourtzi is still not accounted for.
A rescue operation is continuing on the island.
Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will visit the flood-stricken areas on Monday. He posted on Twitter to express his sadness following the disaster: “I express my deep sorrow for my compatriots that lost their lives on Evia and I send my condolences to their families. I am being constantly briefed on the course of the rescue operations and on the extent of the disaster and tomorrow I will visit the stricken areas”.