Heavy floods in Greece batter islands and mainland leaving one dead

One man was killed as torrential rains flooded rivers, roads, homes and businesses across Greece. The 69-year old shepherd was killed when his car was carried away by flood waters on the island of Evia.

Overflowing rivers flooded buildings, streets and hotels on the western island of Corfu.

Rescuers have been preparing to use helicopters to lift stranded people off rooftops in flooded and remote areas on the island of Corfu, Civil Protection and Climate Change Minister Christos Stylianides said.

Authorities pre-emptively closed schools and other public services in Athens on Friday.

Stylianides, a former European commissioner for humanitarian aid and crisis management, was quoted by CBS News as saying, "There is no doubt that we are facing a dangerous weather phenomenon that is very serious in some parts of the country."

Dr Kostas Lagouvardos, a research director at the National Observatory of Athens said that the people have already experienced unusual amounts of rain in some parts of the country.

“But from Thursday we expect this [new] weather system will create a very dangerous situation, especially in burned areas where the soil is already saturated and streams are overflowing," he was quoted by The Guardian.

The floods come after Greece suffered some of its worst wildfires in the summer, which scorched thousands of acres of forest and destroyed homes.