In September 2023, after weeks of high temperatures and wildfires across the country, Greece’s central region of Thessaly was inundated with extreme rains. For four days, the storm dubbed Daniel dumped heavy rain on the largely agricultural area, submerging homes and farms, drowning livestock, overflowing rivers, wreaking havoc on infrastructure, and causing several fatalities.
With lives and livelihoods destroyed, residents were left without potable water. To meet this immediate essential need, IOCC and in-country Church partner Apostoli, the humanitarian arm of the Archdiocese of Athens, facilitated the delivery of bottled water to the Metropolis of Volos. Two trucks carried 50,000 liters of safe drinking water to the area for the Church to distribute as part of very early emergency response.
As the waters receded, humanitarian assessments got underway. With support from the National Philoptochos Society and other donors, IOCC is now providing hot meals and other food items to hundreds of families in hard-hit villages near Karditsa. While the situation remains fluid, this program is addressing food needs over several weeks, providing some respite.
As residents begin the difficult work of rebuilding their lives, homes, and livelihoods, this emergency assistance will provide some comfort during these early days of recovery.
