Athens, Dec 27 : Greece has been in the grip of a wet weather front named Elena since Christmas, causing traffic disruptions and flooding across the country, authorities said Thursday.

In Athens, many northern and southern suburbs residents woke up on Thursday to heavy rainfall, which flooded dozens of houses and swept away cars. The Fire Brigade received at least 40 telephone calls to pump out water and remove fallen trees from roads.

Elena delivered the heaviest rainfall in Attica's mountainous areas of Vilia and Penteli, far from the severe flooding experienced in the southern suburbs. The worst-hit areas included the port region of Piraeus and nearby Alimos.

The Peace and Friendship Stadium in the southern seaside area of the Greek capital near Piraeus Port was also flooded, and authorities are still assessing the damage, Xinhua news agency reported.

Roads leading to Mount Parnitha in the northern suburbs were closed to traffic due to snowfall.

In central Greece, a 5-km traffic jam was formed on Wednesday at the foot of Mount Parnassus as many holidaymakers attempted to reach the ski resort.

On Thursday, officials advised motorists to use snow chains in mountainous zones of central and northern Greece with snowy conditions and to exercise caution during heavy storms.

On Evia island near Athens, heavy showers flooded parts of the road network on Wednesday, and authorities remained on alert as a river began to swell.

Firemen intervened to rescue a family trapped in a car stuck in the mud, local newspaper "To Vima" (Tribune) reported.

Parts of the highway linking Athens to the Peloponnese Peninsula in southern Greece were also closed due to flooding caused by heavy rainfall.

The adverse weather conditions are expected to recede as of Friday, according to Greece's National Meteorological Service.

/IANS