– Greek authorities have announced that in the next two days there is a high risk of wildfires and storms in several regions of the country, after facing the driest June since 2006.
According to the Hellenic Meteorological Service, on Wednesday and Thursday, very high temperatures will be recorded in certain areas of Greece, and the Greek Ministry of Civil Protection and Crisis Management warns of a very high risk for wildfires in the Peloponnese region (Laconia), on Kythira Island, and in Crete (Chania).
Unstable air masses will worsen the weather, mainly in central and northern Greece, between July 3-4, 2024, causing heavy rains and storms accompanied by lightning and hail.
Large amounts of precipitation are forecasted on Wednesday in Eastern Macedonia, Thrace, Central Macedonia, with some regions experiencing severe thunderstorms and hail.
The same forecast applies for Thursday in Thessaly, the Sporades Islands, Evia Island, eastern Central Greece, and southeastern Peloponnese.
Rains are urgently needed to fill Greece's water reservoirs and irrigate agricultural lands after a prolonged drought.
The country's capital, Athens, usually records an average of 21 mm of precipitation in June, but this year has been devoid of rain for the past five weeks.
Other regions have also been without precipitation for the last month, including the city of Sparta in the Peloponnese Peninsula, which typically expects an average of 35 mm of precipitation.
Although the anticipated precipitation is eagerly awaited in Greece, Greek authorities have expressed concerns that storms could cause forest fires if lightning strikes dry areas, as happened on Tuesday in the northern city of Kozani.
In other areas, there are fears of floods if the dry soil cannot absorb the heavy rainfall.
"Given the risks arising from the occurrence of these extreme weather phenomena, authorities draw attention that during the mentioned period, traffic on public roads may be restricted, recommending drivers to check the road conditions on the official website of the Hellenic Police: www.astynomia.gr," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs transmitted.
It recommends Romanian citizens to consult the website of the Greek Ministry of Civil Protection and Crisis Management, which contains official information about wildfires, a self-protection guide against fires, as well as daily fire forecast maps https://civilprotection.gov.gr/xartis. In case of a fire, citizens are asked to immediately notify the Fire Department at the number 199.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reminds that Romanian citizens can request consular assistance at the telephone numbers of the Romanian Embassy in Athens (+302106714035) and the Consulate General of Romania in Thessaloniki (+302310340088).
Moreover, Romanian citizens facing a difficult, special, or emergency situation have access to the emergency phone of the Romanian Embassy in Athens (+306978996222) and the Consulate General of Romania in Thessaloniki (+306946049076).
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends consulting the websites www.mae.ro (Travel advice, travel alerts), https://atena.mae.ro and http://salonic.mae.ro.
Romanians traveling to Greece can also access the digital application "mAIGreece," developed by the Greek Ministry of Tourism, available in Romanian as well: https://www.gov.gr/en/upourgeia/upourgeio-tourismou/tourismou/maigreece.