When Storm Daniel unleashed waterspouts on the central Greek town of Vlochos in early September, Nikos Falangas barely had time to flee his home with his wife and son.
Three weeks latertons of mud They continue to cover part of the village and Falangas, a 51-year-old employee, cannot be convinced that “so little is left” of his family home.
“The only thing I was able to save was a family photo and my son’s toys. It’s all that remains of the house where I was born and raised,” he tells AFPwith eyes clouded with tears.
“There are no words to describe the tragedy we are experiencing,” he adds.
Eri, an Albanian worker from a nearby town, helps rescue appliances from inside another home. The man watched as, at the height of the flood, the water reached the roofs of traditional single-story houses.
“It reached four meters in height,” he details.
Havoc in the flooded central region of Greece.
Most of the inhabitants left. The few dozen that remain take refuge in the local church, built on a hill and therefore less at risk of flooding.
The unprecedented storm left 17 dead and devastated the central region of Thessaly, the heart of Greece’s agricultural production.
The flood drowned tens of thousands of farm animals, while washing away warehouses containing fertilizers, herbicides, gasoline and other chemicals, leaving behind a toxic mix.
Rebuild the town where they were born
Remains of furniture, destroyed appliances and rags accumulate everywhere while the stench of dead animals and contaminated water invades the air.
The villagers of Vlochos struggle to rebuild what little remains, as black clouds darken the horizon. The sky fills with lightning and thick drops of rain begin to fall.
![Greece](https://www.eltiempo.com/files/article_content_new/uploads/2023/09/27/6513e36aa495a.jpeg)
Angelos TZORTZINIS / AFP
This is where we grew up. We want to rebuild our town
A new storm front, named Elias, began to hit Greece on Tuesday, bringing with it heavy rain and sleet.
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the failure of cooperation between the army and civil protection in the hours after the disaster, the government promised more than $2.1 billion in funds for reconstruction.
Dimitris Malai, a 27-year-old gym teacher, is determined to rebuild his life in the village. “This is where we grew up. We want to rebuild our town. But the authorities must do something, otherwise it will not be possible,” he stresses.
AFP
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