Landslide closes road to Santorini port

A small landslide has closed the roadworthy to Athinios, Santorini’s superior ferry port, disrupting traffic and raising information concerns conscionable up of the engaged Easter tourism season.

Constantinos Loupasakis, a geology professor, told state broadcaster ERT connected Friday that while the landslide was minor, the narrowness of the roadworthy and a crisp curve astatine the ιστοσελίδα required an contiguous closure.

“No very ample stone fragments were detached,” Loupasakis said, noting that much superior incidents person occurred connected the land successful the past. He estimated that the roadworthy could beryllium cleared and reopened within 1 to two days erstwhile unstable fragments are removed.

Despite the optimistic timeline for reopening, Loupasakis warned of deeper structural issues affecting the 3.5-kilometer-long slope. He attributed the instability to a operation of steep inclines, dense rainfall, and quality interventions, including roadworthy excavations and overdevelopment.

Seismic enactment has besides played a role, with 460 insignificant earthquakes recorded successful the portion since July. Loupasakis said these predominant tremors steadily compromise the integrity of the cliffs.

The prof highlighted important gaps successful the port’s infrastructure, noting that while retaining fences person been installed connected higher sections of the slope, little sections stay exposed without nets oregon different safeguards. He besides cautioned that materials presently used for repairs often neglect to conscionable specifications, reducing their effectiveness against aboriginal collapses.

Loupasakis called for a thorough, systematic study of the full slope to program semipermanent stabilization works, warning that Santorini’s long-standing stability issues are being worsened by unregulated interventions.