Greece storm latest: Death toll rises to seven after body found off the coast of Halkidiki

Jacob Jarvis11 July 2019

The death toll following a horror storm in northern Greece has risen to seven after a body was found at sea.

An air force helicopter located the body off the coast of the Halkidiki peninsula, which was later identified as that of a 62-year-old fisherman.

He had taken his boat out Wednesday afternoon, shortly before the storm began, and had been missing since.

He was found 6.8 nautical miles off the coast.

Storms in Greece: July 2019

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Six tourists, from Russia, the Czech Republic and Romania, made up the other fatalities from the violent weather.

Another woman is fighting for life, while 23 people remain in hospital.

Two of those who died were killed when high winds overturned their recreational vehicle.

The army is assisting in the clean up operation
AFP/Getty Images

An eight-year-old boy and his mother were killed when an outdoor restaurant's lean-to roof collapsed and another two were killed by falling trees.

More than 100 people have been injured after gale-force winds, rain and hail storms uprooted trees and collapsed roofs.

A state of emergency was declared in the storm-hit region, a three-finger peninsula near the northern city of Thessaloniki that is popular with tourists in the summer.

Six of those killed were tourists
AFP/Getty Images

Crews were working to restore power that was knocked out in 80 per of the stricken area while the fire department said it had received more than 1,200 calls for assistance throughout northern Greece, including 600 in Halkidiki.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who was elected on Sunday and just formed his government, appointed Public Order Minister Michalis Chrisochoidis to head the response effort.

The army was also assisting repair crews.

Powerful storms also struck the neighbouring south-eastern region of North Macedonia, though no injuries were reported there.

North Macedonia's National Crisis Management Center said the area most affected was the southern region of Prespa, near the Greek border.

Additional reporting by agencies.

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