The severe drought gripping Greece has unveiled a chilling reminder of the past: the reemergence of the sunken village of Kallio, submerged in the late 1970s. The village, located near the Mornos dam, was sacrificed to provide water to Athens when the dam was constructed.
The record-breaking temperatures and prolonged drought have caused the water level in Lake Mornos to plummet by 40 meters (131 feet), revealing the ruins of homes and a school. Yorgos Iosifidis, a former resident who left Kallio as a young man, described the heartbreaking sight of the village’s remnants, including his father-in-law’s two-storey house and his cousins’ home.
This is the second time Kallio has resurfaced, with a similar phenomenon occurring during a drought in the early 1990s. However, residents express concern that the current drought is more severe and the water level may continue to drop, further exacerbating the situation.
The drought has significantly impacted the surrounding areas, with residents reporting minimal rainfall and snowfall over the past two years. Dr. Anastasis Papageorgiou, a resident of Amygdalia, a village near Mornos, emphasized the dire need for water conservation.
In response to the crisis, the Greek government has urged the 3.7 million residents of Attica, the region surrounding Athens, to conserve water and has tapped into additional reservoirs to supplement the depleted supply. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stressed the importance of improving water management, acknowledging that Greece needs to address its reliance on water for irrigation and build more dams. He stated that the country “doesn’t have the luxury to waste water” and needs to adopt a more methodical approach to water conservation.
The reemergence of Kallio serves as a stark reminder of the devastating effects of climate change and the urgency for Greece to prioritize water management and conservation efforts. The situation underscores the need for global action to address climate change and mitigate its consequences, which are increasingly being felt across the globe.
