The “meltem” well known in the Aegean Sea is particularly strong this Friday. Many ferry links between the Cyclades Islands had to be canceled this Friday.
Two Vietnamese tourists died on Milos Island At the Aegean, in Greece sea, where strong winds on Friday disrupted the maritime links with the islands in the midst of a tourist season, we learned from the port police.
“A man and a woman were found unconscious in the sea” Near Sarakininiko beach in Milos, island of Cycladeset “were transported to the local health center”AFP told the Greek port police officer. This very touristy beach that overlooks the sea offers sumptuous landscapes.
“They were Vietnamese tourists part of a cruise group. The woman fell into the water and the man apparently tried to save her, both died”, She added without giving more details on the cause of this accident. They were in his fifty years.
Local media reported that the victims had drowned. The woman was allegedly swept away by the wind while she made a selfie according to the Milos Life site, which chronicles the news on the island. Her husband tried to help her, in vain.
Maritime accidents and drownings are frequent during the summer in Greece where many tourists visit the islands and the beaches of Continental Greece.
THE violent winds Who have been blowing since Friday morning, especially in the Aegean Sea (east) have forced some ferries to stay at Quai in Piraeus, a large port near Athens, according to port police.
“Ferries could not leave this morning due to strong winds, especially those serving the Cyclades or Dodecannesis Islands”according to the same source.
Thus, certain links with the cyclades, including the very touristy islands of Mykonos and Parosas well as Crete have been canceled, preventing the trips of many tourists, at the peak of the season.
At the end of the morning at least three ferries finally left for the Cyclades–more particularly for Paros and Santorini–as well as for Crete while the routes to the Dodecannesis Islands (south-east) scheduled for the late afternoon, will be carried out, assured the port police.
The maritime links with the islands close to Athens, in the Saronic Gulf – – Egine, Hydra, Poros or Spets – – as well as those with the islands in the Ionian Sea (West), on the other hand, were not canceled, according to the same source.
The strong wind of the north, called “breeze”, is usual in the Aegean Sea especially in August, often causing cancellations of maritime links.
– “Very high risk of fire” –
In addition, after an emergency meeting, the Ministry of Civil Protection has placed certain regions of the country, especially the Attica–Agglomeration of Athens–, the east of Peloponnese and Crete, “in red vigilance” due to “a very high risk of fire”.
According to the National Meteorological Services (Ety), gusts on Friday should reach 88 km/hour.
The National Observatory of Athens warned in a statement that there was a “very high risk of forest fires due to the wind”, especially in the east and the south of the country.
The mayor of Athens also closed the parks of the capital whose national garden in the center after a tree fell into one of the most frequented shopping arteries in the capital, shortly lacking passers -by.
Located in the eastern Mediterranean, very exposed to climate change, Greece is affected each year by serious fires.
Many fires have taken place since June in the country, including one on the island of Chios (northeast of the Aegean) which had devastated more than 4,000 hectares, and another in the west of Peloponnesis in July, more than 1,000 hectares.
A week ago, following a prolonged heat wave with temperatures that exceeded 45 ° C, many fires had declared themselves across the country, including one near Athens, which had resulted in evacuations of inhabitants and damaged from the dwellings.
