Αfter a prolonged summer of sunshine and high temperatures, torrential rains fell on the island of Crete, resulting in the death of two people and extensive material damage to the road network, houses, shops and vehicles. Ιt was thus proved that the warnings of the meteorologists did not help to avoiding the effects of the exceptional bad weather conditions.
Although Crete is a major olive-producing region along with the Peloponnese, according to the first reports, the damage is limited to the province of Lasithi (Sitia), known for its famous PDO extra virgin olive oil. The rain that fell in a few hours corresponds to the amount of rain of an entire year. In some villages (Papagiannades, Sykiá, Sklavoi), it is estimated that about 40% of the olives that were on the trees ready for harvest fell to the ground.
On the contrary of Sitia, the province of Heraklion suffered great damage to the urban network, and it is the same province where both deaths were recorded. On the other hand, there are rumors that the rain probably benefited the olive trees.
Τhe western part of the island, Rethymnon and Chania, remained unscathed by the storms.
