The western Greece region of Messolonghi, which is just north of Patra, was hit by a tornado overnight.
This is the second time in a year that this, otherwise unusual weather phenomenon for Greece, has occurred in Messolonghi.
According to reports at To Vima, the tornado knocked down trees, caused damage to a graveyard, and caused power outages, but fortunately no injuries or deaths have been reported.
In January 2023, another tornado impacted Messolonghi, killing livestock and causing more structural damage with damages estimated to have been around 30,000 euros, according to local news agencies. The tornado was also accompanied by heavy rains and stormy conditions.
Leading reinsurance company Munich Re released a report at the start of 2024 revealing that losses from natural disasters in 2023 reached $250 billion and resulted in more than 74,000 fatalities globally.
Moreover, Munich Re noted that southern Europe saw record damages from storms, which is problematic on account of the fairly large insurance gap in the region. The company caution that the insurance gap will become more problematic as extreme weather events are expected to occur more frequently.
