Deluge, then drought: Greek farmers dealt double blow
After the intense heat and drought of summer, the threat of a repeat of the devastating floods that swept through Greece's central breadbasket last September is making farmers like Achilleas Gerotolios consider giving it all up.
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In September 2023, Storms Daniel and Elias flooded 35,000 acres of land near Lake Karla in Thessaly, impacting some 30,000 farmers growing wheat, corn, cotton and some fruits.
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Improved water management and risk planning, in addition to investing in infrastructure, such as dams, irrigation wells and flood pumps, can help to mitigate the extremes of flooding and drought, according to a 2021 World Bank Report.
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HVA also recommended that Greece boost its flood defences, such as moving dykes further from rivers, deepening riverbeds, and banning construction on floodplains. It also supports a river diversion project to help mitigate drought, which has been opposed by the highest Greek court due to concerns about its impact on the ecosystem.
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