storm
Greece: Danger of epidemics in flooded areas
View of the flooded town of Palamas. photo
© Vaggelis Kousioras/AP/dpa
Large regions of central Greece remain flooded, villages are cut off, people are trapped by the water. There is a risk of an epidemic and the infrastructure is badly damaged.
The death toll in the flooded areas in Central Greece has increased to eleven. Residents of the island of Evia discovered on Saturday the body of a man who had been missing for three days, broadcaster ERT reported on Sunday. Officially, six people are still missing, including a couple from Austria. But there are fears that there could be more victims.
The rescue teams have not yet been able to reach all of the villages cut off by the water. In addition, the risk of epidemics increases day by day because of the stagnant water.
Dead sheep, goats, pigs, dogs and cats lie in the largely rural region. The number of mosquitoes has already increased enormously, reporters reported. People were strongly advised to only use safe drinking water, such as bottled water, and under no circumstances use flood water. “There is a risk of an epidemic,” warned epidemiologist Gikas Magiorkinis on the Skai news channel on Sunday.
More than 73,000 hectares under water
People continued to be rescued throughout the weekend using helicopters, inflatable boats and tractors. Authorities estimate that more than 73,000 hectares are under water. Due to the severe damage and chaos on destroyed and flooded roads, the start of the school year in Greece this Monday was postponed in the region.
Because of the flooding, the highway between Athens and the northern Greek port city of Thessaloniki remained closed along a 70-kilometer section on Sunday, the police said. Travelers between northern and southern Greece have to accept major detours.
Work to restore water and electricity supplies has already begun in the port city of Volos, which is largely covered in mud. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis inspected the flood-hit regions on Friday. He promised people quick and unbureaucratic financial help.