Santorini’s cable car area, located on the slopes of the caldera above the island’s old port, faces increased landslide risk due to the hundreds of earthquakes that have struck the island over the past week, a leading authority has warned following an inspection of the site.
Efthymis Lekkas, president of the Hellenic Earthquake Planning and Protection Organization (OASP), who joined forces with officials from the Hellenic Survey of Geology and Mineral Exploration (EAGME) for an inspection of the area, noted that improvements for enhanced protection are needed.
“OASP and EAGME will launch a rapid response effort, focusing on areas where immediate action can be taken, including repairing damaged fences, netting, and wall failures, to ensure we can welcome tourists,” he said.
Lekkas added that a study for initiatives needed will be completed by the end of February, with work set to begin immediately afterward. Longer-term protection projections are also planned but these will most probably get underway after summer, he noted.
“We must take into account the significant risk and exposure, with 1.5 million tourists using the cable car [annually], in addition to that many more using the path to the south,” Lekkas pointed out.
Authorities must also identify safe gathering points in the event of a major earthquake or landslide, the official noted, as well as determine the maximum number of people allowed at the old port. Until now, crowds there have sometimes reached as many as 2,000, he added.
Lekkas stressed that dangers at such spectacular locations can never be completely eliminated. While natural phenomena like earthquakes, landslides, and volcanoes create an incredibly beautiful landscape, they also pose significant risks, he noted.
[AMNA]
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