Greece Declares State of Emergency in Volos After Mass Fish Die-Off

A massive fish kill has prompted Greece to declare a 30-day state of emergency in Volos, a key port city, amid concerns over environmental and economic fallout.. The government has pledged additional financial support to address this massive die-off, marking the second ecological disaster to strike the region in a year.

❗️ALERT 🐟🇬🇷 Hundreds of thousands of dead fish flood the port of Volos, Greece, in an alarming scenario

So far, authorities have removed more than 57 tons of dead fish, and experts warn of a potential ecological disaster

Residents report an unbearable odor, while tourism… pic.twitter.com/eEd9NlWmVi

— Joni Job (@jj_talking) August 30, 2024

The crisis traces back to last year’s catastrophic flooding in Greece’s central Thessaly region, which inundated over 20,000 hectares of land. This deluge caused the reformation of Lake Karla, a body of water that had been drained back in 1962 to combat malaria. However, after the lake swelled to three times its typical size, it has since receded dramatically due to a severe drought, forcing the fish towards the port of Volos, where they have been unable to survive the saltwater of the Pagasetic Gulf and the Aegean Sea.

Now, the waters around Volos are choked with the carcasses of fish, a grim sight and an even worse smell. With fish unable to cope with the sudden change from freshwater to saltwater, thousands have died, clogging the waters and creating a dire situation for local authorities. The declaration of a state of emergency, signed by Climate Minister Vassilis Papageorgiou, will remain in effect until September 30, allowing the region to allocate resources for a massive cleanup operation.

More than 100 tons of dead fish has been collected in and around the port of Volos, in central Greece, following a mass die-off linked to extreme climate fluctuations, authorities said Thursday. pic.twitter.com/094UJyubFm

— NoComment (@nocomment) August 30, 2024

Efforts to clear the dead fish have been ongoing for days, with local authorities deploying fishing trawlers and earthmovers to collect the carcasses. These are then transported by truck to an incineration site. As of this week, authorities reported that 100 tons of dead fish had been removed from the area. The cleanup continues, with additional boats and special nets set up at the Xiria River to prevent the spread of dead fish into other water bodies.

The situation has sparked outrage among local officials and business owners. The mayor of Volos criticized the regional authority for its slow response, describing the stench of rotting fish as unbearable. The fallout has also hit the local economy hard, with tourism dropping nearly 80% since the flooding last year. “This dead fish crisis could be the final blow,” lamented Stefanos Stefanou, head of the local restaurant and bar association. “Who would want to visit our city under these conditions?”

Something smells fishy in Volos, a port city in Greece, where a state of emergency has been declared after 100+ tons of dead fish washed up.

Locals are using boats, earthmovers, and nets to remove the fish and contain the disaster.https://t.co/wqFHb3j6Jg #Volos #Greece pic.twitter.com/6CiVTk4iAh

— CGTN Europe (@CGTNEurope) September 1, 2024

In response, the Volos Chamber of Commerce announced plans to take legal action, seeking compensation for the substantial decline in commercial activity. Meanwhile, a public prosecutor has initiated a formal investigation to determine how such an environmental crisis was allowed to escalate.

These events are unfolding against a backdrop of increasingly extreme weather patterns in Greece, which scientists link to climate change.  Which is total nonsense, but as we all know, you can buy scientists even easier than politicians.

Major Points

• Thousands of freshwater fish have died in Volos due to environmental changes, leading to a state of emergency.
• The die-off follows last year’s flooding that altered Lake Karla’s ecosystem, causing fish to move into saltwater, where they couldn’t survive.
• Authorities are working to remove over 100 tons of dead fish, which have caused a severe odor and economic downturn in the area.
• The local economy, already impacted by last year’s flooding, faces further setbacks as tourism drops significantly.
• A formal investigation is underway to determine how the environmental crisis escalated, highlighting the need for better disaster management amid worsening climate change effects.

Conner T – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News