Eight workers remain stranded in Samaria Gorge as severe weather hits Crete
Severe weather has caused widespread damage across Crete, with 508 calls received by the Hellenic Fire Service between Thursday, October 1, and Sunday, October 4, while eight workers remain stranded inside Samaria Gorge.
The Fire Service said it carried out 214 operations during the period, including 103 water-pumping operations, 101 transfers of people to safe locations, seven tree-cutting operations, one animal rescue and two operations to remove objects.
FOOTBRIDGE COLLAPSES IN ZONIANA
The village of Zoniana in Mylopotamos has also been severely affected by the extreme weather.
Torrential waters caused part of a road and a small footbridge to collapse, while large amounts of muddy water swept through the village, carrying soil and debris.
The collapse reportedly cut the village in two and caused alarm among residents, who left their homes after hearing the loud noise.
EIGHT WORKERS REMAIN INSIDE SAMARIA GORGE
Large volumes of water are continuing to flow through Samaria Gorge following heavy rainfall in the mountainous areas of Chania, causing damage to infrastructure inside the national park.
Eight workers remain inside the gorge — two from the Forestry Service and six from the Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency (OFYPEKA). They were unable to leave because of the elevated water levels.
According to Crete's deputy regional governor for Civil Protection, Giorgos Tsapakos, the workers are in a safe location, are in good health and are not in danger.
No rescue operation is currently considered necessary. The workers are trained for the conditions and will remain at the site until water levels subside sufficiently for them to leave the national park safely.
GOVERNMENT DELEGATION VISITS CRETE
A government delegation is traveling to Crete on Monday, October 5, to assess the impact of the severe weather, record the damage and coordinate the next steps for restoring affected infrastructure and services.
The delegation includes Infrastructure and Transport Minister Christos Dimas, Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Evangelos Tournas, Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Food Giannis Andrianos, Deputy Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Kostas Katsafados, and Secretary General for Natural Disaster Recovery and State Aid Petros Kabouris.
A meeting with local authorities and relevant agencies is scheduled at the Region of Crete headquarters in Heraklion. The delegation will then visit affected areas in Mylopotamos, Ierapetra and the Lasithi Plateau to assess conditions and local needs.
SCHOOLS CLOSED IN AFFECTED AREAS
Weather-related disruptions are also affecting education.
All primary and secondary schools in the Municipality of Amari are suspending in-person classes on Monday due to adverse weather conditions and transportation problems caused by damage and disruption to the road network.
Schools and kindergartens in the Kouloukonas and Zoniana municipal units of Mylopotamos will remain closed on Monday and Tuesday, October 6, as problems caused by the severe weather persist.
EU COPERNICUS MAPPING SERVICE ACTIVATED
The European Union's Copernicus Emergency Management Service – Mapping has also been activated for areas of Crete affected by the severe weather since October 1.
The activation, under code EMSR933, is intended to produce mapping products and data for affected areas, supporting authorities involved in emergency response and the management of the disaster's consequences.
The European Union has accepted the request, with satellite-based mapping products expected to become available following analysis of imagery from the affected areas.
