A man has died near Athens, Greece, as a severe storm swept through parts of the country with gale-force winds and flooding. Early on Thursday, the fire department found the man's body under a car in the rural area of Nea Makri. The incident highlights the dangerous conditions brought by the storm.

Storm Erminio has caused significant disruption, flooding streets, forcing the closure of some schools, and mooring ferries in ports. Concurrently, the island of Crete was enveloped by a Saharan dust storm on Wednesday, which filled the air with dust, turning the sky a dramatic red-orange hue and leading to flight disruptions.

According to the national meteorological service, the weather is expected to worsen on Thursday across most areas of Greece, with forecasts of "long-lasting and intense rains and storms and possibly with local hail." A red warning has been issued for Crete, particularly in the western and southern parts, effective from midday until late Thursday night.

The fire department reported receiving 674 calls for assistance from Wednesday through the early hours of Thursday. The majority of these calls originated from the Attica region, which includes Athens, with most requests related to fallen trees. High winds have continued to keep ferries docked, although Greek media suggests some departures may resume on Thursday, depending on weather conditions.

In Nea Makri, streets and the basement of the local police station were flooded. On the island of Poros, a bridge was knocked down, and there are reports of vehicles being swept away. Some schools have also been closed as a precautionary measure.

Source: www.bbc.com