Flood damage in Karditsa may take years to repair

A week after a disastrous storm pummeled central Greece, wreaking havoc in the city of Karditsa and claiming four lives, efforts are under way to repair homes, businesses and infrastructure with experts estimating that the city will need years to recover. 

Much of the city remains without electricity and water and most stores are still closed as repairs get under way. The damage to infrastructure – chiefly roads and bridges – is significant, with fears that landslides could cause more problems while many villages remain cut off. 

Meanwhile Deputy Civil Protection Minister Nikos Hardalias said that the European emergency number 112 had received 3.6 million calls over the past year. Hardalias revealed the figures in response to a question about the government’s response to the floods in Evia in August and the fallout of Cyclone Ianos.

As regards Evia, Hardalias said there had been no official warning of extreme weather conditions.