Second submerged village resurfaces in Greece due to drought

Athens: After Kallio village in the Attica region, a second submerged village has resurfaced in Greece as a result of drought this summer.

Photos taken on September 7th show the ruins of the Fagos settlement in Kato Kalentini village re-emerging from the receding waters of Lake Pournari near the city of Arta in northwestern Greece.

According to the Facebook page Korfovouni Artas, which published the images, the re-emergence of the settlement is due to prolonged lack of rainfall in the area. There was a consequent substantial drop in the level of water in the artificial lake.

Local residents told AMNA that the water levels have dropped by at least 10 meters, as it hasn’t rained in the area since April.

The receding waters of Lake Pournari brought back to light for the first time in over four decades the ruins of the sunken settlement and of the primary school—a landmark of the water level, as the page Korfovouni Artas notes.

They also unveiled the filling of the lake from materials carried by nearby rivers.

The artificial lake covers an area of 18.3 sq. kms and was formed 43 years ago by the construction of the Pournari hydroelectric dam on Arachthos River.

The lake created a wonderful artificial ecosystem in the area with considerable fish and bird life, AMNA reports. In its waters, one finds, among other species, carp, flounder, wild trout, and eels.

Lots of species of wild bird find shelter in this environment, which captivates its visitors all year long with its verdant and peaceful nature.

Earlier in September, photos showed another submerged village in Greece, Kallio, partly re-emerge from the waters due to the prolonged drought.

The ruins resurfaced as the water in the Mornos Reservoir, Athens’ main water supply, dropped sharply this summer, triggering concerns for water shortages in the Greek capital if the situation persists.

The Mornos Reservoir, located 200 kilometers west of the capital, has seen a 30 percent drop in its water reserves compared to last year, according to figures from EYDAP, the Attica region’s water distribution company.

Satellite images analyzed by the National Observatory of Athens show that the area of the reservoir covered by water was reduced from 16.6 sq. km. in July 2023 to currently just 12.8 sq. km.

Fourteen Greek municipalities have been placed under a state of emergency by the General Secretariat of Civil Protection this summer for reasons of worsening drought conditions.

Among these are five municipalities on the island of Crete, as well as on Serifos, Sifnos, Leros, Poros, and Spetses. Moreover, the municipality of Sami on Kefalonia has also been affected, as have areas in Corinth, Alexandroupolis, and Xanthi.