Authorities in the Attica Region have launched emergency meetings with ministries and agencies to address flood risks in greater Athens. Experts warn that the 27-kilometer Kifissos River, running near and in parts underneath the A1 motorway, poses a significant flood threat to 18 municipalities should there be extreme weather conditions.
Greek government officials however maintain that ongoing anti-flooding works are sufficient, adding that the Attica Region is solely responsible for road maintenance and anti-flooding measures. A meeting has been called this week to discuss the issue and will involve the Infrastructure Ministry, the Attica Region, and EYDAP (Athens Water Supply and Sewerage Company).
The urgent meeting follows the discovery last week of a third underground stream connected to Kifissos, which may lead to flooding.
Last August, Attica Regional Governor Nikos Hardalias announced a 1.2 million euro cleanup operation which removed 12,500 tons of debris from Kifissos River. It was the first large-scale effort in decades to prepare for the rainy season.
Meanwhile, Efthymis Lekkas, president of Greece’s Earthquake Planning & Protection Organization, said that Kifissos River was struggling under urban encroachment and cemented areas, which exacerbate runoff and flood risks.
“Kifissos is the main river that drains 2/3 of the area of the Attica basin. Construction on both banks is suffocating the river. The flood risk is great. The basin has been cemented resulting in almost zero natural absorption and consequently the high runoff of water and its channeling into the Kifissos riverbed,” he said.
To mitigate these threats, the Attica Region plans to remove debris from the Ilissos River, reconstruct three bridges, and build a sea protection embankment using special materials. Ilissos was initially a tributary of Kifissos but rechannelled underground to the sea. Attica authorities say the projects aim to enhance drainage, reduce flood risks, and safeguard nearby municipalities from flooding.
