Torrential rain gridlocks Athens roads, hail damages crops

A storm flooded streets and created bottlenecks in main roads of the Greek capital, while other regions reported damages from hailstorms as a wet weather front swept across the country on Thursday.

The torrential rain gridlocked Ardittou and Vassileos Konstantinou Streets, as well as Kifissou, Kifissias and Mesogeion Avenues.

Dense traffic was also observed in Alexandras Avenue and the coastal Poseidon's Avenue near the district of Alimos.

Before the storm, skies over Athens turned red as dust brought by southern winds mixed with the clouds.

The National Meteorological Service (EMY) had issued an emergency bulletin on Wednesday warning of the extreme weather across the country. EMY warned that southeasterly winds will pick up during the day and reach 7 to 8 on the Beaufort scale.

The General Secretariat for Civil Protection also issued an advisory...