Greeks say flood prevention plans ‘too little too late’

CGTN Europe

New flood prevention projects have been launched in Greece as the rainy season approaches.   But many accuse Athens of doing too little too late.   CGTN’s Evangelos Sipsas reports: https://tinyurl.com/yhn9v7vy   #Greece #Athens #flood #weather

Transcript

00:00The mud lines are still visible at Thelvoris Bogris' house in Pharsala, a town in the Thessaly region.

00:07A silent marker of last year's flood and the destruction it left in its wake.

00:13Dried mud and cracks on the walls are painful reminders of what happened that day.

00:18It was pure chaos. Shouts. People searching desperately.

00:26The bridge blocked by high water. No way through.

00:30Crowds huddled in shops, waiting for hours. Calls unanswered.

00:35Every snippet of conversation more chilling than the last.

00:40The devastation was overwhelming.

00:43It's one thing for me to tell you and another to experience it.

00:49In the wake of last year's tragedy where 16 people lost their lives and thousands of homes destroyed,

00:57anti-flooding projects in the Thessaly region were rolled out, promising safety and stability.

01:04The Greek government has invested 3.5 billion dollars in regional flood protection projects,

01:10which it says will be able to cope with all forms of extreme weather events.

01:17A master plan is underway to protect citizens from disasters like Daniel and Yiannos.

01:23While major projects like embankment expansions, riverbed clearing, channel widening and mountain water control will take time.

01:32They comprehensively address Thessaly's flood risks.

01:35Some areas that were destroyed may even require relocation.

01:39This approach depends on public cooperation and consensus.

01:43Not everybody is on board with the plan.

01:46With many locals seeing this as a positive step, that has been long overdue.

01:53And that the projects do not really focus on the real flood risks.

01:58Others are concerned that the projects are taking too long or they're simply being rushed.

02:07I don't feel secure. How can I sleep calmly when I know that now projects have been done

02:12and the ones under construction are not even halfway completed?

02:16We hear on TV that money is being given and projects are being completed.

02:20Where are they? The rainy season is still ahead of us.

02:23Where is my protection? Tell me.

02:28Last year's floods were the worst the country has ever seen,

02:32wiping out thousands of hectares of farmland and destroying countless homes.

02:37Now, with the rainy season approaching, people in the Thessaly region are on the edge,

02:42still haunted by the chaos and devastation of last year.

02:46Evangelos Tsipsas for CGTN, Athens.

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