You may read ETEK’s press release (in Greek) at ?????????? ??????? ?? ??????? ??? ?????? ????????. An approximate English translation follows.
ETEK Press Release
Movement of land, buildings and infrastructures, due to landslides, underground gaps and soaring lands are undoubtedly a serious problem. This phenomenon evolves even more intensely under dynamic conditions during an earthquake, especially when the soil is saturated with water after a heavy rainfall.
The Chamber fully shares the anxiety of the affected residents of a particular area in Pissouri, which is based on a landslide. Parts of this landslide are occasionally activated causing cracks and other disasters in their homes as well as public infrastructure. Since August 2015 and following contacts with an initiative group of affected local residents, the Chamber has requested and received information from the Ministry of Interior on the causes that caused the damage.
As it has been found with the opening of exploratory drillings, the decline of the soil is due to the previous years’ embankment of the area with loose or unsuitable materials in an attempt to manage the landslide symptoms. The degree of material compaction as well as the existence of underground water (5 – 6 metres), which periodically fluctuates, seem to contribute to the destabilization of various parts of the area from time to time. It can be seen that the geological and geotechnical data were not included in the design of urban planning and static construction studies.
The state has an obligation to give specific answers since it is reasonable to wonder how a geographically problematic area has been integrated into a development zone, resulting in the licensing of specific developments. In addition, ETEK invites its members as engineers / supervisors to be careful and apply the legislation, considering the actual soil data, by designing or commissioning the elaboration of the relevant technical study, where necessary.
In view of the fact that the affected inhabitants in Pissouri have less or no responsibility for the problems they have suffered, the Chamber invites the state, and as soon as possible (after these problems have been presented from 2011 to 2012) to proceed with the necessary actions to relocate the affected families, to suspend development licenses in the area and to carry out necessary specialized studies which will demonstrate solutions to address the problem. it has been shown that the implementation of individual preventive construction projects for the management of surface rainwater is considered to be insufficient.
The Chamber declares once again that it will support the state’s efforts in this direction and, in addition, declares that it is prepared on the basis of the know-how of its members to provide every possible technical support.