A catastrophic rainstorm unleashed what has been described as a “Biblical disaster” across several of Greece’s most popular holiday islands, transforming roads into raging rivers, sweeping away cars, and leaving communities in chaos.
The extreme weather event, reported widely across international news outlets, has brought unprecedented flooding to islands like Paros and Mykonos, disrupting the lives of residents and tourists alike.
According to the Daily Mail Online, the deluge began with dark skies looming over the Aegean Sea, followed by torrential rain that quickly overwhelmed the islands’ infrastructure.
“Several Greek holiday islands have been devastated by floods after severe rainstorms turned roads into raging rivers and swept vehicles away,” the outlet reported on April 1.
Video footage captured the surreal scenes: cars floating helplessly in brown torrents, debris crashing through streets, and buildings partially submerged as floodwaters surged unchecked.
Local reports highlighted the severity in Paros, where driving became impossible for hours as swollen streams inundated main roads.
“The extreme weather conditions made it difficult for rescue teams to access hard-hit areas,” the Daily Mail noted, adding that authorities urged residents to remain indoors, describing the rainfall as “dangerous” and “out of control.”
Just hours later, Mykonos faced a similar fate, with heavy rain and hail compounding the destruction. The iconic party island saw its streets turned into muddy waterways, a stark contrast to its usual sun-soaked allure.
Sky News, referencing past flooding events in Greece, contextualized the disaster by recalling a 2017 incident on the Aegean island of Symi, where a state of emergency was declared after heavy rains flooded homes and knocked out power.
While that event offers historical precedent, the scale of the 2025 storm appears even more intense, with meteorologists pointing to a “persistent cut-off low and strong Scirocco winds” as the culprits behind the extreme conditions, according to Sky News Weather Producer Rebecca Yussuf.
Posts on X echoed the news reports, amplifying the sense of urgency and disbelief.
Users shared links to the Daily Mail article, with one noting at 8:46 PM PDT on April 1, “‘Biblical disaster’ flooding hits top Greek holiday islands as roads turn into raging rivers and cars are swept away after ‘extreme’ rainstorm.”
Another post, timestamped 8:55 PM PDT, called it simply “‘Biblical’ flooding,” underscoring the apocalyptic imagery circulating online.
The term “Biblical disaster” isn’t new to Greek weather crises.
ABC News reported on a 2018 wildfire near Athens that killed at least 74 people, with a Greek official using the same phrase to describe the devastation.
While wildfires and floods differ in nature, the recurring use of such language reflects the overwhelming scale of natural disasters striking this Mediterranean nation.
