Galery

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Autumn began abruptly in Thessaloniki and Halkidiki and almost took the lives of two tourists. Early Tuesday afternoon the operations centre of the Ministry of Shipping was informed about a man whose life was at risk due to the strong wind in the sea near Posidi. According to the weather service, the wind speed in the region was 7 on the Beaufort scale.

The man was kitesurfing and the high waves were pulling him far out to sea. Another man on a water jet tried to catch up with him and help him but the jet suffered mechanical damage due to which it found itself in the raging sea as well.

The men were found shortly after 07:00 pm and pulled out by a "Super Puma" helicopter. The rescue operation involved two fishing vessels that were in the region whereas the Coast Guard sent distress signals to a nearby tanker.

The strong wind in Thessaloniki caused damage to cars, it broke down trees and cut off electricity in many places both in the city and in the surrounding villages. The fire department informed that they had received 50 calls for help in the removal of trees and 10 for assistance in the removal of signboards, sunshades and awnings blown off by the wind. Fallen trees caused minor damage to cars that were parked on the street. There were problems with fallen trees in Kilkis as well as in the Pieria region south of Thessaloniki.

The Greek National Weather Service issued an emergency message to warn that the wind will become stronger. Its speed in some places will be 7 on the Beaufort scale and it will reach 8 in some areas in the northern part of the Aegean Sea. At the same time, the Service expects that temperatures in Northern Greece will gradually decline.

Meteorologists forecast rainfall in the area, which may turn into torrential rains in the region of East Macedonia and Thrace.

Meanwhile, an operation to find a 73-year-old woman who disappeared on Tuesday is taking place in the sea near Rafina.

Late last night, policemen who found in a small cove the woman's purse with her ID card in it, and her car parked nearby, informed the Coast Guard of the case. The policemen called her relatives and established that she went to the beach at noon and had not returned home since then.

The operation to find the woman involves a Coast Guard car and rescue ship and a detachment of the Greek rescue group.