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Flights between the island airports and Athens in particular were canceled, but some international connections were also affected. The low “Elpida” should only reach its peak in the afternoon and bring even more snow, as the Greek weather service announced. The airport in the Turkish metropolis of Istanbul temporarily suspended all flights.
Chaos reigned on the streets of Athens. People across the country were asked by the state via warning SMS to stay indoors if possible. Vaccination centers were closed – schools were also tight. Public servants in Greece and Turkey were given permission to go home earlier. The Directorate General of Meteorology in Turkey again warned of heavy snowfall in the Marmara region. The weather had already severely affected traffic in Turkey on Sunday, and numerous accidents had occurred.
Heat waves in summer, snow chaos in winter
Many houses in Greece are not designed for the low temperatures. In such situations, the Athens city government opens public buildings that are heated for the homeless and those who cannot heat their apartments.
It is the second year in a row that Greece has struggled with heavy snowfall in winter following devastating heat waves in summer. While snow is not uncommon in the north of the country, islands like Crete and Mykonos are now also covered in snow.
Source: Nachrichten
