Rhodes, one of Greece's busiest summer islands, has taken a serious beating from Storm Agneta. Torrential rain flooded streets and turned roads into fast-moving rivers, with local reports saying at least 60 cars were swept away. Some residents spent part of the night on their rooftops waiting for help, and rescue teams were called out to pull people from flooded homes and shops.
Greece's national weather service, EMY, put the Dodecanese islands – including parts of Rhodes – under an orange warning on Monday, alongside the Ionian islands and Epirus. The Rhodes alert runs into the evening, with a further orange warning for the Dodecanese from Tuesday morning to the afternoon, though rainfall was reported to be easing.
The island's Civil Protection Office has told everyone to stay put and skip any unnecessary movement. Its advice is blunt: keep away from rivers, streams, crossings and the coast, and never drive through standing water or mud. Schools are shut in several areas, including Lindos, South Rhodes, Archangelos and Afantou. The one bit of good news for travellers: Rhodes Airport had not reported any cancellations or delays at the time of writing, so flights are currently operating as normal.
This is the second flooding event in a matter of weeks. Flash floods hit Greece and Turkey in mid-October, killing at least three people – among them a 62-year-old man who died on Rhodes on 14 October when rushing water pushed his car onto a beach near a small seaside village about 30km from Rhodes town. Four cars were washed away in that storm alone.
If you're due to travel to Rhodes or anywhere in the Dodecanese in the next few days, keep an eye on EMY bulletins and messages from your accommodation, build in extra transfer time, and follow the local guidance about avoiding coastal areas and flooded roads. Autumn storms in the eastern Mediterranean are usually short and sharp, but this one shows how disruptive they can be – a dose of flexibility and travel insurance that covers weather disruption is worth having in the shoulder season.
