Greece on standstill as heavy snowfall hits country

ATHENS

A cold front with record-level snowfall continued to cause major problems in transportation, power and water supplies in most parts of the Attica region of Greece on Wednesday.

The snowfall, the heaviest Greece has seen in years that has even blanketed the center of Athens, disrupted most public transportation in the country, including the metro in the capital and northern parts of Attica.

Commuters have been facing problems as streets in most parts of Athens, particularly the north, remain covered with snow.

Thousands of households were left without electricity due to downed trees and branches in Attica and the island of Evia.

Along with the army, the Fire Brigade's Special Disaster Management Units have been mobilized in 29 neighborhoods across Attica Region, where power cuts continue because roads are blocked due to snow as well as fallen trees, according to the fire brigade's announcement.

In the northern suburbs of the Attica region, nearly 250,000 households had their electricity disrupted for more than 48 hours, local media reported.

"We are almost 50 hours plus without electricity. I go to my car to charge my mobile [phone] as landlines don't work as well," Maria Costantinidis, a resident living in one of the areas most affected in Dionysos, northern Attica, told Anadolu Agency.

"We've had no water for more than 12 hours," she added.
The railway operator has also reported several interruptions, including accidents from fallen trees and derailments.

The Fire Brigade received 1,490 calls for help in Attica only from Monday to Tuesday afternoon due to the snowstorm that hit Greece starting Monday night, it said.

According to Civil Protection and Crisis Management Minister Nikos Hardalias, most problems in the electricity network will have been repaired by the evening "so that things can get back to normal."

The network had suffered extensive damage as hundreds of trees fell by the snow-downed power lines, especially in north and east Attica, he added.

The National Observatory of Athens weather service said the lowest temperature was recorded at Neos Kafkasos in Florina, minus 24.8 C (minus 12.6 F), followed by Ptolemaida recording minus 20.4 C (minus 4.7 F), Kilada of Kozani with minus 19.9 C (minus 3.8 F), the town of Florina with minus 18.9 C (minus 2 F) and the town of Grevena with minus 17.3 C (minus 0.8 F).

The National Meteorological Service said on Wednesday that the snowfall was of the heaviest ones recorded for the last 40 years.

The total duration of snowfall in Attica was 36 hours, with the strongest intensity in the center of Athens for 24 hours, reaching up to 25 centimeters (9.8 inches) of snow depth.