ATHENS — "The flood damage assessment process is underway and will be completed with the speed and validity that the state mechanism has been accustomed to doing these procedures over the last two years," government spokesman Yiannis Oikonomou said on Sunday in an interview with Ant1, referring to the floods in Evia.

"As always, our priority is human lives. Bu whatever needs to be done to repair damage and support the people in the area will be done … Everyone understands that flood protection works cannot be completed in less than two months, nevertheless great efforts were made by the state mechanism, the environment ministry, the local administration, the residents in order to remove the debris from August wildfires and avoid a greater damage," he said.

"The residents of the area must know that the state is on their side," the government spokesman underlined.

Hundreds of homes were flooded, stores suffered damages while traffic has been interrupted in certain areas of Evia after the overnight storm.