Aetoloacarnania: 112 alert for the overflow of Stratos Dam – Damages in Western Greece

Residents of Aetoloacarnania received a message from 112 due to the controlled overflow of the Stratos Dam in Kastraki.

Citizens are urged to avoid traveling in all riverside areas of the Acheloos River and to strictly follow the authorities’ instructions.

Meanwhile, the Municipality of Agrinio has issued a statement informing citizens that, according to official updates from the responsible authorities, increased hydropower production is taking place at the hydroelectric system of the broader Acheloos area, with the implementation of regulatory measures to ensure public safety.

This update comes from PPC S.A. regarding the operation of the hydroelectric plants and from the Hellenic Police regarding the regulatory measures in place to prevent risks in areas that may be affected by changes in water levels or flow rates.

Bad Weather: Significant Damage in Ilia, Messinia, and Corfu

The continuous and intense rainfall affecting many regions of the country in recent days has caused significant problems, including landslides that have resulted in damage to the road network, evacuations of homes and villages, and the isolation of several areas.

In the local community of Mazaraki Peneias in the mountainous zone of the municipality of Ilida, approximately 150 residents were trapped as a landslide blocked both entrances to the village with dirt and rocks.

A team completed emergency work to open one of the entrances, and tomorrow, Wednesday (February 18), work will continue to fully lift the blockade.

The risk of further landslides remains, as large amounts of water have accumulated in the soil. It has been raining non-stop today, and there is concern that the bad weather will continue in the coming days.

Meanwhile, students who had gone to school in the morning were also trapped, and to return home, they needed the help of relatives, friends, and other citizens to carry them on their shoulders through a nearby field to enter the village.

In Katakolo, a 40-ton rock that detached from the mountain is being held by cables to prevent it from sliding down the slope and reaching the waterfront.

Approximately 10 houses are located below the rock, and they were evacuated as a precaution, while the main road to the port authority remains closed.

In Alagonia, in the Municipality of Kalamata, two settlements were evacuated: the Mahala and Pano Meria settlements, while extensive damage has occurred to the entire provincial road network, including all roads connecting the villages of Taygetos.

The areas where the houses are located are considered “red zones” by the IGME (Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration) due to landslide and subsidence phenomena.

The residents of Taygetos say they haven’t seen so much water in the Neda River, which flows through the city of Kalamata, in many years, while the bad weather in the area continues.

The Taygetos area has been in a state of emergency since last week, following a request from the Municipality of Kalamata, and due to similar damage across the entire region, the Peloponnese Region has already submitted a request to the relevant ministry to place the entire region under a state of emergency.

Meanwhile, there is massive damage to both the road and provincial networks in Corfu, where residents are experiencing unprecedented rainfall events.

In the Boukari area, the coastal road connecting neighborhoods in southeastern Corfu has collapsed in many spots, making it practically impassable and very dangerous.

At the beach of Arillas, one of the island’s most popular tourist resorts, the road surface has been completely destroyed in many areas. Streams and rivers have eroded the land to such an extent that it is dangerous for both cars and pedestrians to pass through.