Greece's northeastern border region remains on high alert today as severe flooding continues to batter Evros, with authorities warning that the next 36 hours will be critical. The region has been placed under "Red Code" at least until Friday.
More than 15,000 hectares (150 square kilometres) of land have been submerged, causing extensive damage to crops, rural infrastructure and road networks, while fears are mounting for residential areas near the Evros River and its tributaries. Images from the region show vast stretches of farmland underwater as river levels remain exceptionally high and embankments face sustained pressure.
Evros placed on 'Red Code' alert as flood risk escalates
In the early hours of Wednesday, residents in Lavara, near Soufli, received an emergency 112 alert warning of the dangerous situation. The northern junction at Lavara has been closed since Tuesday afternoon after large volumes of water from the surrounding plain flowed towards the village. In some locations, water levels have reportedly reached up to 6 metres, underlining the scale of the threat.
Across towns including Feres, Tychero, Soufli, Didymoteicho and Orestiada, local authorities remain on constant alert. The Erythropotamos River has flooded a wide area next to the embankment in Didymoteicho.
Experts say that the phenomenon is not directly caused by weather conditions in Greece, but by upstream developments in neighbouring countries, especially Bulgaria. Reports suggest that a Bulgarian embankment has collapsed, leading to widespread flooding there and affecting water flow downstream into Greece. Information provided to Greek authorities indicates that large volumes of water are flowing towards the Evros River at about 4 kilometres per hour.
Floods swamp vast areas of farmland along Greece's Evros river as embankments fail
The Evros River, which forms a natural border between Greece and Turkey, has long been prone to cross-border flooding, making coordination with upstream states crucial. Farmers face the loss of an entire year's work, as agricultural land has suffered extensive damage, compounding losses for local producers already hit by repeated extreme weather events over the past few years. Beyond the immediate agricultural impact, local infrastructure, including rural roads, irrigation channels and field networks, has also been damaged in a region repeatedly affected by severe weather.
