A powerful summer storm hit Mani on Saturday afternoon (August 15), causing severe problems in the villages of Alypa, Kokkala, and Oitylon. According to Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis, a woman was seriously injured by a lightning strike in Oitylon while she was inside her car.
The woman was picked up by an EKAV ambulance and transported to Sparta Hospital, the Health Minister confirmed, noting that despite the severe weather conditions, the National Health System (ESY) was on full alert.
Παρά τις καταρρακτώδεις βροχές, που πλήττουν τη Μάνη και τα τεράστια προβλήματα που δημιουργήθηκαν στο οδικό δίκτυο εκεί, το ΕΣΥ είναι σε πλήρη ετοιμότητα και τα πράγματα εξελίσσονται ομαλά. Ευχαριστώ θερμά το υγειονομικό μας προσωπικό και ειδικά τον εξαίρετο Ιατρό κ. Ανάργυρο…
— Άδωνις Γεωργιάδης (@AdonisGeorgiadi) August 15, 2026
Adonis Georgiadis’ statement
Despite the torrential rains battering Mani and the massive disruptions caused to the road network in the area, the National Health System is on full alert and things are proceeding smoothly. I warmly thank our healthcare staff, and especially the outstanding Dr. Anargyros Mariolis, for their extraordinary personal effort in rescuing and transporting to Sparta Hospital a woman who was seriously struck by lightning in Oitylon, Mani, while inside her car. Everything will be alright.
Roads turned into torrents across Mani
The torrential rain fell with extreme intensity, causing roads to transform into raging streams within minutes. Large volumes of water surged through the area, triggering flash flooding and severely disrupting traffic and movement.
The heavy rainfall was not limited to the roads — water also poured into homes and accommodation facilities across the region. In several cases, water levels reached window height, causing damage and distress to both residents and visitors.
Cars were swept away by the fast-moving floodwaters, and in multiple locations the road network was turned into a river in a matter of minutes. The powerful storm caused widespread disruption across Mani, with footage from flooded areas capturing the full intensity of the extreme weather event.
According to the Fire Service, the storm also caused serious problems along the coastal front of Oitylon, where debris has completely blocked the area. Several vehicles were carried away by the floodwaters, and traffic on the road from Kokkala to Nifi has been cut off. The villages of Kokkala, Alypa, Karavostasi, and Oitylon appear to have suffered the most significant damage so far.
50 calls to fire service after Mani storm — 10 people rescued from vehicles
Due to heavy rainfall across the wider East Mani region, the Fire Service Operations Centre has received approximately 50 calls for assistance since around 4:30 PM. So far, crews have carried out operations to rescue 10 people from vehicles and move them to safety.
