Severe Storms Batter Greek Islands for a Second Day, with Crete Hardest Hit

An aerial photograph taken by a drone shows the port of Naousa, after a powerful storm which has triggered widespread flooding on the Aegean Sea island of Paros, Greece, Monday, March 31, 2025. (AP)
An aerial photograph taken by a drone shows the port of Naousa, after a powerful storm which has triggered widespread flooding on the Aegean Sea island of Paros, Greece, Monday, March 31, 2025. (AP)
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Severe Storms Batter Greek Islands for a Second Day, with Crete Hardest Hit

An aerial photograph taken by a drone shows the port of Naousa, after a powerful storm which has triggered widespread flooding on the Aegean Sea island of Paros, Greece, Monday, March 31, 2025. (AP)
An aerial photograph taken by a drone shows the port of Naousa, after a powerful storm which has triggered widespread flooding on the Aegean Sea island of Paros, Greece, Monday, March 31, 2025. (AP)

Severe storms battered islands in Greece for a second day Tuesday, with Crete experiencing the heaviest rainfall. Authorities on Paros and Mykonos, meanwhile, worked to clear overturned cars and debris following hailstorms and torrential downpours.

On Monday, storms in Paros sent cars floating into the sea and flooded homes and businesses with water and mud. Authorities have requested emergency government assistance to address road and infrastructure damage. Nearby Mykonos also endured hailstorms and powerful winds.

Rescue crews on Crete assisted seven people in vehicles trapped by floodwaters while rockslides and road closures were reported on the island after the storm overnight pushed toward the southeast. The highest rainfall in the previous 24 hours through Tuesday afternoon was recorded near the Cretan port of Chania, according National Observatory of Athens.

Rhodes faced gale-force winds that toppled trees and damaged vehicles.

Schools were closed across multiple islands, and the storms halted or disrupted ferry services.

The severe weather primarily impacted islands in the Cyclades chain in the central Aegean, a popular vacation destination known for its beaches and whitewashed houses.

The storms struck just weeks after a rare earthquake swarm forced thousands to flee Santorini and the nearby islands of Ios, Amorgos, and Anafi.



Pigeon Rescue Crew Find Peace in Tending London’s Flocks 

Pigeons walk in a park in the Hackney area of London, Britain, May 7, 2025. (Reuters)
Pigeons walk in a park in the Hackney area of London, Britain, May 7, 2025. (Reuters)
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Pigeon Rescue Crew Find Peace in Tending London’s Flocks 

Pigeons walk in a park in the Hackney area of London, Britain, May 7, 2025. (Reuters)
Pigeons walk in a park in the Hackney area of London, Britain, May 7, 2025. (Reuters)

Seeking solace in a turbulent world, Jennie Brennan and Jacob Peter have found an unlikely source of wellbeing: quietly rescuing and rehabilitating London's pigeons.

Pigeons in urban areas often suffer from a preventable condition known as "stringfoot," in which litter such as thread, fishing line or human hair becomes entangled around their toes. Untreated, the birds can lose a toe, or even a whole foot.

"There are so many problems in my life, in the lives of people I care about, and in the world generally, that I can't really do anything about," Brennan, of the London Pigeon Rescue, told Reuters.

"But what I can do is save a pigeon's life, or their toes, or restore their abilities. That might seem like a small difference, but to that pigeon, it's massive."

On rescues, the pair of volunteers use seeds to attract pigeons, then gently cover them with a kitchen towel before removing any constricting debris with scissors or pliers.

"It's a man-made problem,” Brennan said. "I think someone needs to be responsible for helping them with the problem that we've created."

Brennan first began feeding pigeons during the COVID-19 lockdown after reading they were going hungry. Over time, she began noticing injuries and sought help on Facebook from Peter, who was already rescuing birds.

Since then, the two have worked together and attempted to tend to the birds three to four times a week, often responding to tips from concerned members of the public.

"Liking pigeons as much as I do means that I have little friends everywhere I go. So if I'm busy running stressful errands and feeling a bit sorry for myself and I see a couple of pigeons passing, it just brightens my day up," Brennan said.