Athens (AFP) - Two people were killed after torrential rain brought major flooding to the Greek island of Crete, firefighters said on Sunday.

Rain started to fall on Saturday morning in the southern Greek island, a popular holiday destination, hitting the Heraklion region particularly hard.

Greek firefighters said the body of a 49-year-old woman was found in the sea on Sunday, raising the death toll to two from the floods.

On Saturday, a man in his 50s was found dead after he was trapped in his car as torrential rains began.

The two individuals were going to Heraklion for work, Greek public television ERT reported.

A second missing individual was found alive on Saturday evening.

The rains forced the evacuation of several homes and unleashed extensive damage in seaside villages, where streets became rivers carrying away everything in their path, local media reported.

The flash floods pushed several cars into the sea along the beach of the seaside resort of Agia Pelagia, with some almost completely submerged in the water surrounded by debris.

The beach was covered in scrap including plastic bottles and toys, next to straw umbrellas.

The flooding also damaged more than 15 shops, mainly fine restaurants, in Agia Pelagia, popular with wealthy diners.

The Civil Defence department said it was mobilised and asked all citizens to be vigilant on Sunday in Crete and the surrounding islands of Rhodes, Karpathos, Kastellorizo and Kasos.