Feb 22 • 11:01 UTC 🇬🇷 Greece Naftemporiki

Request to declare Lemnos in a state of emergency: Extensive damage from bad weather

The mayor of Lemnos has requested a state of emergency for the island due to extensive damage caused by severe weather conditions.

The mayor of Lemnos, Eleonora Georga, has formally requested the Greek General Secretary for Civil Protection, Nikos Papaefstathiou, to declare the entire island in a state of emergency. This request comes in light of the extensive damage reported on the island from severe weather phenomena, which have severely impacted infrastructure and agriculture. The communication has been shared with key governmental officials, including the Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Ioannis Kefalogiannis, and the Interior Minister, Theodoros Livanios, highlighting the urgency of the situation.

According to preliminary assessments from local authorities, significant damage has occurred to both internal networks and the agricultural road network. Reports indicate widespread erosion, collapses of road sections, falls of retaining walls, and partially collapsed bridges that are blocking key transportation routes. The majority of the agricultural road network is now impassable, hindering access and increasing the risk to local agriculture, which is vital for the economy of Lemnos. This situation may pose significant challenges not only for immediate recovery efforts but also for the longer-term economic stability of the area.

Given the scale of the destruction and the impact on the livelihoods of residents, the declaration of a state of emergency could facilitate faster mobilization of resources and support from the government. It underscores the growing vulnerability of islands like Lemnos to climate-related extreme weather events, highlighting the need for enhanced infrastructure resilience and comprehensive disaster response strategies to mitigate future impacts.

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