Fire Department: the operations Center received 35 calls due to heavy rain, in the areas of Agrinio and Preveza
Agrini municipality crews have been operating as Saturday night and early Sunday morning in the areas affected by the wave of bad weather, to clear the road network and restore traffic.
In particular, they are operating 20 machines to open rural roads, to facilitate access to residential properties and agricultural holdings.
simultaneously occurring, efforts are being made to clear rural roads of rocks and mud in the areas of Angelokastro, Lysimaheia, Dokimi, Kainourgio, Strato and Lepenou.
As announced, the Municipality of Agrinio has already activated the committees and it is expected that the recording of the damages will begin immediately, while appealing to the inhabitants of the mountainous areas, to be especially careful in their movements.
«The general picture is good from the wave of bad weather that hit the wider area of Agrinio“, he saeid in statements made the regional deputy governor of Etoloakarnania, Thanasis Mavrommatis.
As he said, “our engines work in torrents to remove debris from the heavy spill, as well as many parts of the roads, to clean them of soil and debris.”
Also,as the regional deputy governor stated,”one stream of vehicular traffic is already open to traffic on the Kallithea-Lambiriou provincial road and in a short time the entire road will be open to traffic”.
According to the deputy governor, “a total of 14 engines are operating in the affected areas, of which 11 are rented by the civil defense and three from the Western Region of Greece». In addition, Thanasis Mavrommatis emphasized that “the civil defense and the Western Region of Greece will be close to the citizens during the day, so that any damage that has been done can be repaired”.
Late on Saturday night, a message was sent through 112 to the residents of agrinio due to severe weather phenomena that occurred in the city.
The heavy rains caused problems in the wider Agrinio area.
in particular, the Fire Service had to intervene to transport five people to safe places, and eight water pumps were made from flooded ground floors and basements.
at the same time, it caused problems on the road network, specifically on the provincial roads Agrinio – Proussos, Angelokastro – Klisoreumata and Kallithea – Lampiri.
Large accumulations of water were also recorded in the area of Megali Chora Agrinio, in Neapoli, and in Agios Konstantinos.
The Operations Center of the Fire Brigade received 35 calls in the wider areas of Agrinio and Preveza until the early hours of the morning to pump water and transport people to safe places.
It is noted that the Fire Department asks citizens to be especially careful and in the case of severe weather phenomena,to faithfully follow the instructions of the competent authorities.
What are the long-term strategies being implemented in Agrinio to mitigate the impact of severe weather?
Interview with Thanasis Mavrommatis: Managing Severe Weather in Agrinio
Q: Thank you for joining us today,Mr.Mavrommatis. Can you provide an overview of the situation in Agrinio following the recent heavy rains?
A: Thank you for having me. The recent wave of bad weather has indeed posed critically important challenges for the Agrinio community. We received 35 emergency calls through our Operations Center, and our municipal crews have been actively working as Saturday night and early Sunday morning to mitigate the effects of the heavy rainfall. The primary focus has been on clearing the road network to restore traffic access.
Q: What specific measures are being taken to address the damages caused by the floods?
A: We deployed 20 machines to clear rural roads and facilitate access to residential properties and agricultural holdings. Our teams are working diligently in affected areas such as Angelokastro, Lysimaheia, Dokimi, Kainourgio, Strato, and Lepenou to remove rocks and mud from the roads. As we assess the situation, we have also activated committees that will begin recording damages immediately.
Q: it sounds like a significant amount of coordination is required. How many personnel and resources are involved in these efforts?
A: Absolutely, coordination is key in these situations.Currently, we have a total of 14 engines operating in the affected areas—11 of which are rented by civil defense and three are from the Western Region of Greece. Our teams are focused on cleaning and restoring access as quickly as possible. Importantly, our civil defense will remain on site to assist citizens as we move forward with repairs.
Q: How has the community responded to the severe weather events? Were there any evacuations or rescues necessary?
A: The Fire Service indeed had some interventions to transport five individuals to safe locations due to flooding.Our teams have also utilized eight water pumps to address flooding in ground floors and basements. Additionally, we have been monitoring areas like Megali Chora Agrinio and Neapoli, which experienced significant water accumulation.We communicated with residents via a 112 alert system to ensure they were informed and safe.
Q: What advice would you offer to residents during such severe weather conditions?
A: Safety is our utmost priority.We urge residents,especially those in mountainous areas,to exercise caution during these severe weather events. It’s crucial to follow the instructions of local authorities. We also encourage residents to stay informed about weather alerts and to avoid needless travel during extreme conditions.
Q: Looking forward, what lessons can be drawn from this experience to better prepare for future occurrences?
A: Each weather event provides valuable insights. This situation has reinforced the importance of rapid response and detailed preparation. We will continue to enhance our emergency response plans and ensure our equipment and personnel are ready for future storms. Additionally, community education on disaster preparedness will remain a priority, as informed citizens can considerably reduce risk during such events.
Q: Thank you, Mr.Mavrommatis,for yoru insights and the work being done in Agrinio. Your efforts are truly commendable.
A: Thank you for the opportunity to share our response strategies. It’s essential that we work together as a community to weather these challenges.
