Brits heading to Greek tourist islands of Crete, Mykonos and Paros have been alerted of severe weather conditions
The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for Greece, as holiday-goers are being made aware of extreme weather conditions. Taking to X, the official Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office account (@FCDOtravelGovUK) uploaded a warning today (April 2), as severe flooding has been reported on various Greek islands.
Devastating storms have triggered flooding in the Greek tourist islands of Mykonos and Paros, transforming roads into waterways and carrying off vehicles. Crete experienced the worst of the heavy rainfall on Tuesday (April 1), the second day of severe weather.
This intense downpour came after Monday’s storms, which wreaked havoc on the tourist islands of Paros and Mykonos. Authorities were left racing to remove debris and overturned vehicles in the wake of hailstorms and heavy rains. In Paros, the powerful storms pushed cars into the sea and flooded homes and businesses with water and mud.
Greece’s 112 Emergency Communications Service and Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection X account shared a “warning message” this morning. It reads: “Severe weather conditions on the island of Mykonos. Limit your movements to the absolutely necessary and follow the instructions of the Authorities.”
Another states: “Severe weather phenomena in places and at times strong on the islands of Chios, Samos and Ikaria from now until the morning hours of 02/04/2025. Be careful when traveling. Follow the instructions of the Authorities.”
A third adds: “Vehicle movement is prohibited on the road network of Mykonos, due to severe weather conditions, until the end of the conditions. Emergency vehicles are excluded. Follow the instructions of the Authorities.”
On Gov.uk, an alert is in place on the Greece Foreign travel advice page regarding floods. “Adverse weather conditions, including floods, can happen quickly. Register for Emergency alerts and follow ‘112 Greece’ on X for official updates,” it says.
Other warnings in place for Greece by the Foreign Office also include a “high risk of wildfires during the summer season from April to October”. A statement adds: “Ensure that your mobile phone is registered to receive emergency alerts to be warned of wildfires near your location.”
The Foreign Office says wildfires are highly dangerous and unpredictable. The situation can change quickly. To avoid starting wildfires:
- leave no litter, especially not glass which is known to start fires
- make sure cigarettes are properly extinguished
- do not light barbecues
Causing a wildfire or a forest fire is a criminal offence in Greece – even if unintentional. If you see a fire, call the emergency services on 112. For further information, see Greece’s Civil Protection website. Be cautious if you are in or near an area affected by wildfires:
- follow @112Greece for official updates
- follow the guidance of the emergency services
- call the Greek emergency services on 112 if you are in immediate danger
- contact your airline or travel operator who can assist you with return travel to the UK
The Foreign Office also says: “Greece can experience extreme natural phenomena such as earthquakes, wildfires, extreme heat and flash floods”. To be alerted to events near where you are located in Greece, register for alerts from the Greek government’s Emergency Communication Service:
- for iPhones go to Settings > Notifications and enable the ‘Emergency Alerts’ option at the bottom
- for Android 11 and higher go to Settings > Notifications > Advanced Settings > Wireless Emergency Alerts
- for Samsung devices go to Settings > Apps > Messages > Notifications > Emergency Notifications and enable the ‘Emergency Alerts’ option
Find out more from Gov.uk on what you can do to prepare for and respond to extreme weather and natural hazards. Other warnings in place for Greece include “a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals, including from groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets”.
The Foreign Office is urging people to stay aware of their surroundings at all times. The UK Counter Terrorism Policing has information and advice on staying safe abroad and what to do in the event of a terrorist attack. Find out how to reduce your risk from terrorism while abroad.
The Foreign Office said: “Terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Greece. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreign nationals. There have been several attacks involving explosives and automatic weapons against Greek institutions, shopping malls, banks, media offices, diplomatic premises and the police.”
