SEVERE storms have caused flooding on a popular Greek holiday island.
Crete in Greece is currently suffering from mass flooding causing widespread disruption across the island including some tourists being evacuated from coastal accommodation.
Some cars and trees have even been washed into the sea.
Here is the current advice for travel to or from Crete right now:
Where is the flooding?
Flooding in Greece right now is mainly impacting the island of Crete.
Massive storms have been battering the island since October 1 and resulted in torrential rainfall with bad flooding and mudslides.
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Worst hit areas include the Milopotamos district and the village of Zoniana, as well as Kato Gouves, Finikia, and Heraklion city.
In Chania, there have been big waves as well which have damaged seafront restaurants.
Is it safe to travel to Crete right now?
There is currently a Red Alert warning in Crete, which has been issued by the local authorities and the Hellenic National Meteorological Service (EMY).
Emergency services are still currently clearing mudslides and damage caused by the flooding.
The advice from GOV.UK reads:
“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, make sure your mobile phone is set to allow emergency alerts.
“For instructions on how to do this see:
- 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
“This will allow the Greek government’s Emergency Communication Service alerts to reach you. Always keep your phone with you as you will receive alerts according to the location of your phone.
“Adverse weather conditions, including floods, can happen quickly. Register for Emergency alerts and follow ‘112 Greece’ on X for official updates.”
Are flights still going to Crete?
Currently, flights are not impacted to or from Crete.
However, if you are already in Crete and need to get to the airport you may want to allow for more extra time.
If you are due to fly in and have concerns, it may be worth contacting your airline to check if they are operating normally.
What if I have a holiday to Crete booked?
As the Foreign Office has not warned against travel to Greece, there are no special circumstances in place for holidaymakers to cancel their trip and receive a full refund.
Depending on what travel insurance you have, your policy might include natural disaster cover.
If so, your insurance policy should cover you for when you are unable to reach your holiday destination due to natural disasters, like wildfires.
So it is worth checking your travel insurance policy.
Can I cancel my trip?
If you do choose to cancel your trip, it is best to contact your airline or holiday provider.
There is no obligation for companies to refund bookings unless government advice changes.