ATHENS: Life in Greece came to a standstill as the first spell of intense snowfall entered the city, closing many of the metropolis’ main arteries, and leaving people without power for extended periods of time.
As snow blanketed the city of Athens amid a storm named Elpida, which means “hope”, the temperature plummeted to -14 degrees Celsius overnight. The Greek government declared a holiday in Athens on Tuesday after snow disrupted road, rail and air travel. Many schools were closed.
“The height of the snow is unprecedented in some areas,” Climate Change and Civil Protection Minister Christos Stylianides said.
Parliament proceedings, schools, offices, metro services – all were disrupted by the weather. Train and bus service remains suspended. Flights and sea operations continue in limited numbers though access to airports remains a challenge.
The Greek carrier Aegean Airlines cancelled all but five flights on Monday and said it expected the situation to continue for the next two days.
“A major effort is underway to keep the national (road) network and the main arteries open,” said government spokesman Giannis Ekonomou. Conditions would remain “difficult” on Tuesday, he added.
Athens hardly receives such a heavy amount of rainfall; this phenomenon can be linked to climate change. Christos Zerefos, an atmospheric physics professor said, “It is an extreme condition for our country”.
This is the second consecutive year that the city has been hit by a snowstorm. Previously, in February 2021, a similar snow storm struck Athens, taking the lives of four people and leaving tens of thousands without power for days.
Costas Lagouvardos, research director at the National Observatory of Athens said that the capital had not seen back-to-back winters like this since 1968.
The civil protection authority expects the fresh spell to continue into Tuesday followed by sub-zero temperatures in the coming days.
