Heavy Snow, Winds Disrupt Flights, Power in Greece

PlanetArk 30 Jan 08;

ATHENS - Sudden heavy snowfall across much of Greece on Tuesday and gale-force winds in the Aegean sea grounded dozens of flights, forced ships to remain docked in ports and cut power in many areas, officials said.

Snow flakes even made a brief appearance over the Acropolis in central Athens with heavier snowfall causing traffic disruptions in the capital's northern suburbs.

"There is a ban on sailing at least until this afternoon from the port of Piraeus to all Aegean islands," a Merchant Marine official who requested anonymity told Reuters. "All ships including passenger ferries for the islands have been ordered to stay in the port for the second day."

The other nearby ports of Lavrio and Rafina had also banned ships from leaving apart from a ferry to the nearby island of Evia, she said.

Dozens of domestic flights from Athens to the islands including Crete, Samos and Milos were cancelled due to the strong winds.

Meteorologists said the weather would improve by Wednesday but temperatures would remain below freezing.

"The winds will continue to be strong until tonight and temperatures will drop to minus 9 Celsius mainly in northern Greece," metereologist Theodore Kolydas told broadcaster Mega TV.

Greece's power utility PPC said the winds and falling trees had caused power outages, including in the northern city of Thessaloniki. (Reporting by Athens bureau, Writing by Karolos Grohmann, Editing by Myra MacDonald)