Almost swept away by a chest-high river of mud

A terrified motorist was left clinging onto her car as it was swept away by flood waters surging through the streets of Athens today.

The dramatic scenes unfolded as torrential rain led to flash flooding in the Greek capital, where one woman has died and thousands more people left stranded.

Two men climbed onto the roof of the silver 4x4 and pulled the driver to safety in northe suburb of Chalandri.

Downpour: The heavy rain is the worst seen in the recession-hit country for 50 years

Caage: At least five other cars in the same block were overtued and three were piled on top of each other

Rescue: Two men came to the aid of the trapped driver as surging, muddy water swept cars away

Surge: Torrential rain caused a river to burst its banks, bringing chaos to the moing rush hour

The woman had been clinging onto the side of the vehicle as it was carried away by flood muddy flood water more than a metre high.

At least five other cars in the same block were overtued and three were piled on top of each other.

Police said a 27-year-old woman died of a probable heart attack after being trapped in her car in Halandri, another suburb north of the capital.

Flash floods: More than a metre of water gushed along the road in the city's northe suburb

'We're talking about 52 years without ever having seen such a heavy downpour in this area'

Chaos: By mid-moing, rescue teams received at more than 90 calls from commuters marooned in their cars

The heavy rain is the worst seen in the recession-hit country for 50 years. It caused a river to burst its banks, bringing chaos to much of Athens during the moing rush hour.

There have also been power cuts across the city and public transport has been severely disrupted, with at least two subway stops being closed.

Meteorologist Yannis Kallianos told state television: 'This is the worst storm since 1961. We're talking about 52 years without ever having seen such a heavy downpour in this area,'

Hanging on: A worker fell through the glass roof of the parliament when trying to block a leak

Severe disruption: Rush hour traffic came to a standstill today and public transport also suffered

Ruined: A young boy stands in front of a two-storey building that collapsed in the Aghios Panteleimonas area

Clean-up: A firefighter uses a pump to remove water from a flooded basement at Faliro, near Athens

Officials said Papgou was among the worst affected areas, having been swamped by more than 130 litres of rainfall per square metre in just under three hours.

By mid-moing, rescue teams received at least 900 calls from residents whose houses were flooded and more than 90 calls from commuters marooned in their cars.

In parliament, a worker was left dangling through the glass ceiling over the assembly as she tried to contain water dripping into the room below where lawmakers were about to start debate.

Impassable: A municipality employee works at a flooded road in central Athens following the downpour

Counting the cost: The cost of the damage is an expense that many struggling Greeks cannot afford

Resolve: People continue to wait for a bus and motorists drive on regardless of the floods

Stranded: Rubbish bins are washed away as water covers a road in the Greek capital