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Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 15-09-24
CONTENTS
[01] Priority is to record flood damage, minister says from Skopelos
[01] Priority is to record flood damage, minister says from Skopelos
ANA-MPA -- Infrastructure, Transport and Networks Minister Christos
Spirtzis on Thursday said that the first priority for the Aegean island
of Skopelos, a popular tourist resort, was to record the flood damage
inflicted by the recent devastating rains to public infrastructure and
private property.
"The destruction on the island, to both infrastructure and to homes
and businesses, is very extensive," Spirtzis said in statements
to the state broadcaster ERT. He noted that the regional authority
and municipality must now proceed quickly to record the damage, so
that the residents and businesses affected can be quickly helped.
Spirtzis, acting on instructions from Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras,
arrived on the storm-stricken island accompanied by Alternate Minister
for Civil Protection Nikos Toskas, to inspect the damage and determine
its extent. He met with local residents and assured islanders that they
could count on the state's swift assistance, noting that heavy machinery
was already arriving on the island to repair infrastructure. He also
promised to make every effort to "fight the monster of bureaucracy" in
dealing with claims for disaster relief. In talks with local government
representatives and other bodies, Spirtzis discussed the causes that, in
combination with the extreme weather conditions, resulted in the extensive
damage suffered by the island and to draw up a plan of action for repairs.
Spirtzis noted that the weather was only partially to blame since in
many cases the affected infrastructure was sub-standard to begin with,
including the island's harbour and roads. He also referred to a "total
lack of spatial and town planning" and especially a poor management of
water courses, though noting that responsibility for these had to be
sought 50-70 years earlier. According to initial estimates of inspection
crews, more than 40 shops and homes have been damaged.
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