A powerful wave of extreme weather has swept across parts of the Mediterranean and South Asia this week, causing severe consequences in some places.
Storm Erminio has lashed Greece with torrential rain, strong winds and hail, causing road flooding and traffic jams.
The worst situation was recorded in Attica, where a meteorological station near Athens airport reported 132 mm of rain in 24 hours, while in Nea Makri 50 mm of rain was recorded in just two hours, causing the death of one person.
Strong winds blowing from northern Africa also brought with them Saharan dust, blanketing Crete in dense orange-red clouds.
This unusual phenomenon made the air heavy and difficult to breathe, while ferry services were suspended due to the severe weather conditions.
South-eastern Italy was also lashed by heavy rain, with rivers bursting their banks and unusual snow for the period in the southern Apennines. Some areas recorded up to 1.5 meters of fresh snow, increasing the risk of avalanches.
Meanwhile, in Afghanistan, heavy rains have caused catastrophic flooding. More than 50 people have lost their lives, hundreds more have been injured and over 400 houses have collapsed. 405 hectares of agricultural land and about 400 km of roads were also damaged. Authorities warn that the combination of heavy rain and melting snow after winter makes the country particularly susceptible to flooding.
Neighboring Pakistan also reported severe thunderstorms, hail and flash floods in more than 30 districts, with highways blocked and casualties including a 12-year-old girl struck by lightning.
