Severe weather system "Byron" battered the county with torrential rain, flash floods, and thunderstorms, killing at least two people and paralyzing the capital with widespread disruptions that forced authorities to close all schools in the Attica region for Friday.
The Hellenic National Meteorological Service (EMY) warned that the worst of the deluge would strike late Thursday night through early Friday morning, with the storm’s epicenter targeting southern and eastern Greece.
In response to the deteriorating conditions, the Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Ministry activated the "112" emergency alert system across the Athens metropolitan area, urging millions of residents to avoid nonessential travel.
Regional Governor Nikos Hardalias ordered all public and private primary and secondary schools in Attica to remain closed on Friday to ensure student safety. Similar closures were announced for the islands of Rhodes, Santorini, and Symi.
The storm has already turned major thoroughfares into rivers. Police were forced to shut down sections of the coastal Poseidonos Avenue due to rising waters, while commuters on the Kifisos highway and Attiki Odos faced gridlock as standing water blocked lanes.
Emergency services are operating at full capacity.
As of Thursday night, the fire department in Attica reported receiving hundreds of calls to pump water from flooded basements, remove fallen trees, and rescue motorists trapped in their vehicles.
In Lemnos, authorities confirmed two deaths related to the storm, while on the island of Rhodes, muddy torrents swept through village streets, damaging infrastructure.
Meteorologists forecast that "Byron" will linger through Saturday, keeping much of eastern and southern Greece under a "Red Code" alert—the highest tier of warning.
Authorities have mobilized civil protection crews and heavy machinery to vulnerable zones in Thessaly and Central Macedonia, fearing that saturated ground could trigger landslides and further flash flooding before the system subsides.