Recovery operations have been in full swing since the morning of Sunday, August 16, in Eastern Mani, following the extreme and sudden storm that struck the region on the Feast of the Assumption, leaving behind flooded homes, destroyed roads, and scenes of widespread devastation.
Storm in Mani: “More than 50 homes flooded — Alypa beach unrecognizable”
More than 50 homes have been flooded, according to initial estimates, while the situation in Alypa is particularly severe. The deputy mayor of Eastern Mani, Georgia Lyrofoni, described the beach to parapolitika.gr as “unrecognizable” after being battered by the torrential floodwaters.
“We are talking about an extreme, completely unexpected event. There was no warning whatsoever,” Ms. Lyrofoni told parapolitika.gr, as authorities are currently in the process of assessing and mapping the full extent of the damage.
Since early morning, machinery from the Municipality of Eastern Mani and the Regional Authority have been deployed to the worst-affected areas to clear debris, reopen roads, and restore access. Rescue teams also carried out extractions of trapped individuals, as cars were left stranded in the middle of roads that had transformed within minutes into raging torrents.
The most significant damage has been recorded in Oitilo, Karavostasi, Alypa, Kokkala, and other areas of Eastern Mani, with the road network bearing the heaviest toll so far.
140 tonnes of water per acre in just a few hours
The sheer ferocity of the storm is reflected in the staggering amount of rainfall recorded in the area. Approximately 140 tonnes of water per acre fell across the wider Eastern Mani region, with the intense rainfall lasting around three hours.
Flash floods swept away cars and debris, while floodwaters poured into homes and businesses. In several locations, serious damage was caused to road surfaces and bridges.
Residents described scenes of unprecedented intensity, with visibility dropping dramatically during the downpour and water rushing toward the sea at terrifying speed.
Cars swept into the sea and dozens of emergency calls
From 4:30 p.m. on the Feast of the Assumption, the Fire Service received more than 50 emergency calls, as citizens became trapped in vehicles and homes were inundated.
Cars were swept all the way into the sea, while debris covered sections of the road network and reached the shoreline.
Several residents requested evacuation from the affected areas, with local authorities organizing temporary shelter at the indoor sports hall in Areopolis.
Woman struck by lightning transferred to Sparta hospital
A serious incident also occurred in Oitilo, where a woman was struck by lightning while sitting inside her car. As announced by Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis, significant efforts were required to reach and extract her due to the severe road damage in the area. The woman was subsequently transferred to Sparta General Hospital.
Authorities are now focused on completing a full damage assessment of the disaster zone. The municipality and regional authority continue their interventions, with conditions gradually improving — though initial estimates indicate that the extreme weather event has left behind extensive damage to both residential properties and public infrastructure.
@vasilisdaskalaki #kokkala #Greece #mani #lakonia 15 αύγουστος καλό καλοκερι! 🫣🫣
