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| Greece storm: Six tourists killed as wind and hail batter Halkidiki | Greece storm: Six tourists killed as wind and hail batter Halkidiki |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Six tourists have been killed and at least 30 other people injured in a violent storm that swept across a region of northern Greece. | Six tourists have been killed and at least 30 other people injured in a violent storm that swept across a region of northern Greece. |
| Gale-force winds, heavy rain and hailstorms lashed Halkidiki, near the city of Thessaloniki, late on Wednesday, officials say. | Gale-force winds, heavy rain and hailstorms lashed Halkidiki, near the city of Thessaloniki, late on Wednesday, officials say. |
| A Czech couple died when their caravan was blown away, and two Romanians and two Russians were also killed. | A Czech couple died when their caravan was blown away, and two Romanians and two Russians were also killed. |
| A state of emergency was declared and more than 100 rescue workers deployed. | A state of emergency was declared and more than 100 rescue workers deployed. |
| Charalambos Steriadis, head of civil protection in northern Greece, described it as an "unprecedented phenomenon". | Charalambos Steriadis, head of civil protection in northern Greece, described it as an "unprecedented phenomenon". |
| The storm followed a spell of very hot weather in Greece with temperatures soaring to 37C (98F) over the past two days. | The storm followed a spell of very hot weather in Greece with temperatures soaring to 37C (98F) over the past two days. |
| Images and video posted on social media show trees toppled, cars overturned and buildings damaged. | Images and video posted on social media show trees toppled, cars overturned and buildings damaged. |
| "It is the first time in my 25-year career that I have lived through something like this," said Athansios Kaltsas, director of the Nea Moudania Medical Centre which treated many of the injured. | "It is the first time in my 25-year career that I have lived through something like this," said Athansios Kaltsas, director of the Nea Moudania Medical Centre which treated many of the injured. |
| "It was so abrupt, so sudden," he said. | "It was so abrupt, so sudden," he said. |
| A witness quoted by broadcaster ERT said the freak storm had lasted only for about 20 minutes. | A witness quoted by broadcaster ERT said the freak storm had lasted only for about 20 minutes. |
| A Romanian woman and her child were killed when the roof of a restaurant collapsed at Nea Plagia, officials say, while a Russian man and his son were killed by a falling tree near their hotel in the seaside resort of Potidea. | A Romanian woman and her child were killed when the roof of a restaurant collapsed at Nea Plagia, officials say, while a Russian man and his son were killed by a falling tree near their hotel in the seaside resort of Potidea. |
| Greece's minister for citizen protection, Michalis Chryssohoidis, is due to visit the region on Thursday. | Greece's minister for citizen protection, Michalis Chryssohoidis, is due to visit the region on Thursday. |
| Are you in northern Greece? If it is safe for you to do so please email us your experiences of the storm at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | |
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