The Greek prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, is being criticised over what has been described as his poor handling of the rainstorms that left vast tracts of the country’s heartlands under water and resulted in over 15 deaths.
Health experts have described conditions in the flood-stricken Thessaly region – one of Greece’s richest agricultural areas – as ripe for the spread of infectious diseases after a summer of unprecedented heat-induced forest fires.
On Monday, Public health officials reiterated their appeals for residents in the affected areas to use only bottled water for personal hygiene, drinking and cooking despite ongoing shortages.
“The economic catastrophe is massive since the productive heart of the country is here,” Nikos Androulakis, leader of the opposition social democrat Pasok party was quoted as saying as he toured the rain-swamped plain of Thessaly on Sunday.
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Speaking further, he said “The responsibilities of the government and [the local] prefecture are very big. It is clear they failed to shield Thessaly from such extreme weather phenomena.”
After Ianos, a rare Mediterranean cyclone which hit the same area three years ago, €240m (£206m) in funding had been allocated for the construction of anti-flood reinforcements, Androulakis told reporters.
“The quality of the anti-flood works that have taken place has to be inspected but [officials] should also apologise for the works that have not happened in recent years,” he said.
On Monday – hours after Mitsotakis announced “immediate” relief measures for flood victims – many were asking where the money had gone.
Story was adapted from the Guardian.
