Greece declares a state of emergency in Athens and two islands in the Aegean Sea… and explains the reason

The Ministry of the Environment announced late Friday this measure, which applies not only to Greater Athens, but also includes the islands of Patmos and Leros in the Dodecanese (southeast).

Implementation of vital facility projects

A source in the ministry told the official news agency that this decision "Gives priority to the implementation of vital facility projects. No restrictions on water consumption have been announced yet.

According to the Water Supply and Sanitation Company of Athens (EYDAP), the annual rainfall in Greece has decreased by about 25%.

The evaporation rate has increased by 15%, and consumption has increased by about 6% since 2022.

Water reserves

The Minister of Environment and Energy Stavros Papastavrou said that water reserves in the greater Athens region It amounts to about 400 million cubic metres, and annual consumption reaches about 250 million cubic metres.

He continued: "Difficult decisions can no longer be postponed… In areas where water consumption increases significantly due to tourism activity, more attention and improved planning are needed to avoid situations that are difficult to control in the summer."

According to sources in the ministry, Greece is witnessing a period of continuous drought comparable to the 1988-1994 crisis, and last month the government announced plans to invest 2.5 billion euros in water facility projects over the next decade.

Well-drilling and water-desalination projects

The plan includes diverting the two tributaries of the Achilleos River in western Greece, in addition to well-drilling and water-desalination projects.

The tributary project is scheduled to be completed. Achilleos, which costs 500 million euros, by 2029.

More than 150 projects worth more than 320 million euros are currently being implemented on more than 40 islands, according to the Ministry of the Environment.