Ongoing threat of Pinios River overflow in Larissa; health minister issues advice

Larissa in central Greece continued to prepare for more flooding from the overflow of Pinios River on Sunday.

Sections of the metropolitan region such as Yiannouli and Nea Smyrni have already been evacuated, along with residents in the city proper who have been warned to move to higher floors of their buildings or to the hill of Alcatraz Park in the center. At the same time, the city of Thessaly had been bracing for more flooding since Saturday with preparations for the diversion of possible floodwaters away from the city center by placing water pumps at key points.

Residents from the surrounding areas of the metropolis were being transferred to three temporary housing facilities. Surrounding villages have been inundated by muddy water and road access has been interrupted at several points. Surrounding cultivations are underwater.

In Volos, the port city of Thessaly, power was partially restored on Saturday afternoon, while the water network is still being repaired. Water provided by rotation at specific times is not drinkable, and residents have to pick up bottled water from the town hall in Volos and the nearby towns. Villages in eastern Pelio are still isolated, and several evacuations have taken place by sea after the road network suffered severe damage.

On Sunday, Alternate Health Minister Irini Agapidaki warned the public in Thessaly and other flooded areas to drink only bottled water. In a briefing televised from the Fire Brigade and Civil Protection Operations Coordinating Center in Larissa, she said that residents in affected areas should treat stagnant water as being contaminated. The local authorities will notify them when it is safe to drink tap water.

She underlined that pets and farm animals should be isolated in areas where animals have died, and residents should notify authorities locally to remove the carcasses. The collection and destruction of dead animals already began at dawn on Sunday, the minister said, while she warned residents that they should adequately protect themselves from contact with dead animals (pets, rats, and snakes) brought into their homes by floodwaters and from exposed power lines.

Agapidaki added that besides local health centers, mobile teams from the National Organization of Health Services Provision (EOPYY) will be providing additional help where needed. Medicine needs have already been met for older people through local health services, she added, while the minister warned residents to seek medical advice if they exhibit symptoms of a rash, fever, cough, headache, and diarrhea, so authorities may determine the cause in case further measures are needed in their area. [AMNA]