Thessaly

Residents in the regions of Halkidiki, Thessaly, Magnesia, Lesvos, the Sporades and northern Evia have been warned to limit their movements from Friday evening to Saturday afternoon due to expected thunderstorms and gale-force winds.

A delegation of 15 farmers from the flood-hit region of Thessaly in Central Greece is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Athens on Monday. 

Greece needs to make space for river flow and boost defenses in the Thessaly Plain, a key breadbasket, to prevent a repeat of last year's devastating floods, experts have advised the government.

The Mediterranean country has been buffeted by floods and wildfires in recent years, raising concerns about its ability to defend against climate change-related weather events.

The problems posed by climate change are being experienced first-hand in Greece, with scientists raising the alarm that the central region of Thessaly is at risk of desertification.

Livestock farmers affected by last summer's wildfires and September's Storm Daniel in Thessaly, Fthiotida and Evros, will be able to claim compensation starting this week, Rural Development and Food Minister Lefteris Avgenakis said on Monday.

The application period starts on March 7 and runs until April 30, with the government having earmarked a budget of €45 million.

Students make their way to school against the stunning backdrop of the Pindus mountains in Chrysomilia, 39 kilometers from the town of Kalambaka, in Thessaly. Boasting a population of just over 500, this relatively isolated village runs against Greece's bleak demographic trends. Despite its remote, mountainous location, around 50 families reside here, each with an average of three children.

Sixty Greek exporters showcased their products at the national pavilion organized by the Hellenic Investment and Trade Association (Enterprise Greece) during Gulfood 2024, the largest food and beverage exhibition in the Middle East, held annually at the Dubai World Trade Center.

Heavy rainfall on Thursday has caused severe problems in Meteora, Thessaly, local officials have said.

Roads leading to the village of Glykomilia, with a population of around 200, have been partially destroyed as have bridges in other areas.

In the village of Ampelia, which has a population of around 250, a local stream burst its banks, causing damage to homes.

Sitting in a small motorboat, farmer Babis Evangelinos glides over land he once cultivated on the Thessaly plain in central Greece, the nearby trunks of his fruitless almond trees submerged by floodwater.

A former Thessaly regional governor, Kostas Agorastos, invoked his right to remain silent on Thursday at the parliamentary investigative committee tasked with probing the fatal train accident in Tempe, central Greece, on February 2023, citing his status as a defendant in the ongoing case.