Strong winds have been battering a large part of the country in recent hours, particularly Attica.
Notable images come from Michalakopoulou Street, where a massive tree trunk crushed a vehicle while the driver was inside. Firefighters rushed to the scene and safely extricated the driver—who was uninjured. A major operation followed to gradually cut up the large tree trunk to prevent further damage.
A similar situation occurred in Pagrati, where a section of a wall collapsed, causing traffic problems. Specifically, vehicle traffic has been halted on Ergotimou Street, from the intersection with Pratinou Street, in the Pagrati area.
The incident occurred near Mavili Square, at the intersection of Filimonos and Skopetea Streets; the photograph shows large sections of trees that have fallen onto the roadway, blocking vehicle passage.
Official data from the network of automatic weather stations operated by the National Observatory of Athens / meteo.gr confirm the sweeping intensity of the winds, with readings at mountain peaks as well as within urban areas proving awe-inspiring.
According to the National Observatory’s stations, the strongest wind gust nationwide was recorded at the summit of Mount Penteli, where the wind reached an incredible 124 km/h. In second place was Paximada in Karystos with 111 km/h, followed by Avlonas on Chios at 105 km/h and Geraki in Laconia (a pyrometeorological station) at 101 km/h. The station in Lavrio also recorded very high wind speeds and pressure drops, with 98 km/h, as did Parnitha at 92 km/h.
How Central Athens Was Affected
Attica bore the brunt of the storm, as the gale-force winds swept over the mountains and into the cities with great force, creating dangerous conditions for pedestrians and drivers.
In the northern and eastern suburbs, Kifissia recorded gusts of 79 km/h, Kitsi in Koropi 77 km/h, Kalyvia 74 km/h, Pallini 72 km/h, and Varibobi 69 km/h.
However, the force of the wind also swept through western Attica and the center of the capital, fully explaining incidents such as the one on Michalakopoulou Street. Peristeri recorded gusts reaching 71 km/h, while Agia Paraskevi reached 68 km/h.
Even deeper within the urban fabric, areas such as Ano Liosia, Metamorfosi, Faliro, and Neos Kosmos simultaneously recorded wind speeds of 63 km/h. In the Ymittos-Dafni, the wind reached 60 km/h, while the station in Gazi, located very close to the heart of Athens, recorded gusts of 58 km/h.
Authorities are advising citizens to exercise extreme caution, especially when passing under large trees or old structures, as the storm is currently in full force.
