In northern Greece, which is suffering from global warming, residents and experts are concerned about the presence of large bodies of water in the area, where walking or riding a motorbike is now possible.
Cracked floors, dead fish and foul odors… Lake Koronia near Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city, is suffering from the effects of record temperatures this summer, just like the area’s three other natural lakes, Picrolimni, Volvi and Dorani.
Day after day, residents notice that the waters of this 42 square kilometer lake are disappearing and they see dead fish and birds.
Pink flamingos have found refuge in certain areas where low water levels allow them to find food.
“The stench coming from the lake is becoming very strong,” warns Kostas Hadzivoulgaridis, a local official. “If this winter is not good, and we do not have enough snow and rain, we will have a big problem next year.”
“The relevant organizations must take immediate action to protect the lake,” the 50-year-old man added.
About fifty kilometres away lies Lake Picrolimni, the only salt lake on mainland Greece thanks to nearby volcanic rocks. But this September, all that remains are the distinctive geometric patterns of evaporating water.
In the surrounding area, the number of guests in resorts and hotels has gradually declined in recent years.
“These places used to be full of tourists, and now we see videos online of motorcyclists racing in the lake. It’s tragic!” says Argyris Verghese, an 80-year-old local.
“This is the first summer the lake has been like this,” he adds. “It has had no rain and is literally dry.”
– Evaporate
According to the Greek Centre for Biodiversity Protection, the levels of the four lakes in this area of Central Macedonia from January to August were “consistently at their lowest levels of the 2013-2024 period.”
Over the past two years, local annual rainfall has been “very low,” and temperatures recorded since the beginning of 2024 have been the highest in the past decade, according to hydrologist Irene Varsami.
“This situation affects the lake either directly through evaporation, or indirectly by increasing the irrigation needs of the surrounding area,” says the 29-year-old scientist on the Macedonian Plain, one of the country’s largest plains.
Experts are looking for solutions to maintain the balance of natural ecosystems.
“It is too early to draw conclusions about the impact on biodiversity, but we have to study the evolution of animals during the winter,” says Anthe Faviado, head of the protection department in these areas.
It was an unusually mild winter in Greece, followed by an early heatwave in early June, the hottest month since 1960 (when records began), according to the Athens National Observatory.
July and August were the hottest months since 1960, while August 2024 was the second hottest month after August 2021, according to the observatory.
The water management operator in the capital Athens had previously sounded the alarm after the level of the Mornos Dam, the capital’s main reservoir, dropped, and abandoned buildings reappeared at its bottom during construction work.
Athens residents have been urged to monitor their water consumption, but no restrictions have been imposed to date.
Environment and Energy Minister Theodoros Skilakakis recently announced a multi-billion euro plan for new works and upgrades to the existing network to improve water quality and reduce water loss.
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