- By Thomas Mackintosh
- BBC News
2 hours ago
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Watch: Footage shows the effects of torrential rain in Greece
An Austrian couple on their honeymoon in Greece has been confirmed to have died after torrential rain swept away the house they were staying in.
Their holiday home in the resort of Potistika near Mount Pelion was washed into the sea by flash floods from Storm Daniel on September 6th.
Thanasis Samaras, owner of the house, previously said they came from Graz.
Although the couple were not named, the Austrian Foreign Ministry said DNA tests had confirmed their identities.
A spokesman told the BBC: “It is with deep sadness that we confirm the deaths of two Austrian citizens in Greece.”
“The DNA profile comparisons have now confirmed the identities of the two missing people.
“In these difficult times, we extend our deepest condolences to the families and bereaved families.”
Staff at the Austrian embassy in Athens would support the couple’s relatives, the spokesman added.
Also on Saturday, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said his country was facing “a war in peacetime.”
“Over a two-week period we experienced the worst wildfire and flooding in our history.”
The floods, which killed 15 people, left thousands in shelters or with relatives, while 30 villages were inaccessible and at risk of waterborne diseases.
Some Greek regions received up to 800 mm (31.5 inches) of rain – more than usual in an entire year.
Image source: Getty Images
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The city of Volos witnessed flooded and mud-covered cars and other vehicles still in the water on September 7 after it was hit by Storm Daniel and record rainfall led to deadly flash floods
The Karditsa plain in central Greece was described as having turned into a lake and the villages around Palamas were sinking into the water.
Palamas Mayor Giorgos Sakellariou told Greek television that people were stranded in their homes and described the situation as tragic.
On September 8, the owner of the holiday home told the BBC that the Austrian couple had decided to take shelter in the bungalow they had rented for their honeymoon as heavy rains swept across central Greece.
Mr Samaras said he and other guests left for higher ground and advised the couple to do the same.
“The situation was very bad. It is very difficult to decide what to do at such a moment,” said Mr Samaras.
Climate scientists warn that global warming is causing more water to evaporate in the summer, leading to stronger storms.
Greece battled devastating forest fires for most of the summer. It was the largest terrorist attack ever in the EU, killing at least 20 people last month.