Civil protection emergency declared in Voutes, Crete, due to fissures

As stated in a relevant announcement after a decision by the Secretary General of Civil Protection, the municipal community of Voutes was declared in a state of emergency “to address emergency needs and manage the consequences of the intense landslides that occurred in the last 24 hours”.

Efthymios Lekkas, president of the Permanent Special Scientific Committee for Seismic Risk Assessment, arrived in the area Friday afternoon following an order from Civil Protection Secretary-General Nikos Papaefstathiou. 

The move came after consultations with Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Giannis Kefalogiannis.

Mr. Lekkas toured the damage alongside Heraklion Mayor Alexis Kalokairinos and other municipal officials. He said a full survey began Friday night and will continue with specialized equipment and drones.

“Conclusions will only be drawn after thorough observation, mainly tomorrow, when we will map the area precisely,” Mr. Lekkas said. 

He added that the team aims to pinpoint the phenomenon’s location, understand the area's morphology, and assess broader geological conditions.

Priority is being given to inspecting homes with visible cracks, Mr. Kalokairinos said. 

“We must assess the risk to inhabited houses," he noted, adding that significant state support will be needed if the phenomenon proves to be structural.

Speaking to ERTNews, Mr. Lekkas described the situation as a geological event still in progress.