Communities in Greece struggle to recover from devastating September floods

In September, the Greek region of Thessaly suffered a severe storm resulting in extreme flooding, which took the lives of seventeen people.

Four months onwards and the villages of Vlohos and Metamorfosi are struggling to come back from devastating damages. 
As we stand four months later, the villages of Vlohos and Metamorfosi bear visible scars from the disaster. Many residents, faced with significant property damage, have chosen to abandon their homes.
However, Yannis Koukas, a resident of Vlohos and former local community president, works each day to clean and organise the remnants of his dwelling. His hope is to return with his wife and children in the coming months. He said, “We are seizing the opportunity presented by favorable weather conditions to clean and salvage our homes and possessions. While we dry our meager belongings, we earnestly anticipate a return to our village after the summer.”
Although some Vlohos residents may reclaim their homes, the primary school in the village faces a different fate. Authorities have deemed the building irreparably damaged, ensuring that students will not resume classes there.
Beyond the impact on homes and schools, the floods in September wreaked havoc on the local economy, particularly affecting farmers and breeders. Thousands of acres were submerged, and hundreds of animals perished.
Vassilis and Dimitra, livestock breeders in the region, continue to struggle four months post-disaster. Dimitra Xanthi, expressed their hardships, and shared, “We’ve lost 80 sheep, and our fields yield no produce due to the water’s destruction. Despite these challenges, we won’t surrender; we will fight for our lives and our children’s future.”
While flood victims express discontent with the government’s perceived lack of sufficient aid, they are grateful for the support from thousands of people, both local and international, who rushed to their assistance. Volunteer groups, such as one led by Evangelia Routa, President of the Cultural Association of the village of Metamorfosi, have been actively collecting and distributing food, clothes, and toys to those in need.
Watch our Euronews correspondent for the full report.