blanket of hail
An unseasonable hailstorm hit the region of Drama in northern Greece on Tuesday night, causing major disruption to the roadways there.

The hailstorm in the city of Drama was particularly severe. Such a dense layer of ice pellets accumulated there that in some places it was 30-40 (11-15 inches) cm thick, according to a report by AMNA.

Earth-moving excavators from the municipal authorities were used to clear the city's roads from the dense, thick blanket of hail.



hail
The storm, which lasted more than half an hour, and the heavy rains that followed, flooded many basements and ground floors of shops and homes, and there were many fallen trees in numerous localities.

City crews worked throughout the night in order to clear away the hail and debris from the severe weather system which hit Drama.

The mayor of the city of Drama, Christodoulos Mamsakos, spoke of the unprecedented weather phenomena. "The heavens opened, and we wondered if what we saw was true or not. So much hail, we haven't seen for many years."

"We couldn't believe our eyes," he added. "Within an hour all the roads were filled with ice and water. The hailstorm caused great damage."