Whirlwind causes damage in western town of Messolongi

A whirlwind whipped through Messolonghi in western Greece in the early hours of Tuesday, causing damage to a cemetery, local businesses and homes, local media reported. 

The gale-force winds smashed gravestones in the cemetery of Agios Lazaros, brought down signposts, uprooted trees and pergolas and tore off sections of roofing, according to websites Messolonghinews.gr and Flamis.gr.

It also caused damage to electrical wires, causing blackouts in part of the town of roughly 13,500.
Local authorities are working to repair the damage and have closed the cemetery until further notice.

The whirlwind was part of a stormy weather system that hit the Ionian islands and western Greece overnight and in the early hours of Tuesday, and is expected to spread further inland and to eastern parts of the country over the course of this week.