Freak storm kills seven in Greece, including two children

Six tourists among dead as trees and power pylons ripped up and cars overturned in popular Halkidiki peninsula

Six tourists, including two young children, have been killed in a freak storm in Greece.

Trees and pylons were ripped up, vehicles overturned and a sea of debris strewn everywhere as the storm tore through the northern Halkidiki peninsula on Wednesday night.

A total of seven people were killed and about 140 more were injured, although most of them not seriously, police said.

Two elderly Czech tourists died after high winds overturned their vehicle, while an eight-year-old boy and his mother from Romania were killed when an outdoor restaurant’s lean-to roof collapsed.

A man and a young boy, both Russians, also died when a tree fell near their hotel.

A body found at sea was identified as that of a missing fisherman.

The 62-year-old’s body was located by an air force helicopter 6.8 nautical miles off the coast.

Government spokesman Stelios Petsas said 23 people remained in hospital on Thursday, including one woman who was in a critical condition in intensive care.

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

Crews were working to restore power on Thursday after it was knocked out for 80 per cent of the area.

Meanwhile the fire department said it had received more than 1,200 requests for help, including for rescues, to cut fallen trees and pump water from flooded basements.

Prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who was elected on Sunday and had just formed his government, appointed public order minister Michalis Chrisochoidis to head the response effort while the army was assisting repair crews.

Associated Press contributed to this report