Jump directly to the content

THIS is the terrifying moment a European holiday hotspot is left swamped by torrential rain and intense flash floods.

A powerful storm triggered widespread panic in the region with schools shut down, cars dramatically swept away and an emergency "stay inside" warning imposed.

Flooded harbor in Naoussa, Paros, Greece, with several submerged vehicles.
5
Greece was battered by torrential flooding which left cars wreckedCredit: Reuters
Flooded Naoussa, Paros, Greece; stranded vehicles and a digger.
5
Emergency crews were deployed to try and rescue some of the vehiclesCredit: Reuters
Cars submerged in floodwaters.
5
Some cars were almost washed away by the rushing waters

The popular Greek island of Paros was the latest region on the continent to be badly affected by devastating rainfall.

Holiday towns Parikia and Naousa were left in disarray as horror footage shows the raging floodwater streaming onto the streets.

Cars were caught up in the chaos as a ban was imposed on all traffic except for emergency vehicles.

Paros officials said 13 people were left stranded in the storm as rescue teams were deployed to save them.

read more in weather

No one has been reported as injured or missing so far.

Concerning video shows fast-moving water travelling through the streets and past holiday homes.

The torrents pulled cars along swamped roads before leaving them wrecked and submerged.

Emergency workers were also seen battling against the conditions to try and rescue many of the motors.

After the weather subsided, several smashed cars were seen scattered by the roadside.

Paros Mayor Kostas Bizas told local media: "We've had drivers trapped on roads near Lefkes and the Parikia-Naoussa axis."

Watch moment Spanish holiday hotspot is flooded by river of ICE after hail storm as torrential rain batters region

Authorities were forced to shut down local schools in Paros where they remained closed as of Tuesday morning.

The civil protection service also sent phone alerts to residents ordering them to stay indoors until clean-up operations were completed.

Several neighbouring islands to the south east of the mainland in the Aegean Sea are still under severe weather warnings.

Even Mykonos was left dealing with the torrid conditions today.

Local meteorologists predict the bad weather will continue across Greece for much of Tuesday and into Wednesday.

The country's National Meteorological Service issued an updated Emergency Weather Bulletin saying severe rain and thunderstorms are expected.

Greece's spell of bad weather comes as another popular holiday hotspot in Spain was left severely flooded by a river of ice, earlier this month.

Devastating footage shows the swamped streets of a town in Costa Blanca after a hail storm and days of torrential rain left cars trapped in deep waters.

Read More on The Sun

Concerned tourists and residents of Santa Pola were forced to stay inside as the weather took a nasty turn this week.

The neighbouring town of Rojales was also battered by the weather as a yellow alert was issued across Alicante.

Flooded street in Naoussa, Paros, Greece, with stranded vehicles.
5
Locals took to high ground as the floodwater swept through the streetsCredit: Reuters
Flooded street in Naoussa, Paros, Greece, with several vehicles submerged in water.
5
Stranded vehicles seen in the flooded streets of NaousaCredit: Reuters
Topics