Which areas are threatened with tsunami in Greece

Four areas of Greecedangerous to tsunami, enter the UNESCO microscope. These are areas where specialized scientists from Europe who have recently met for this purpose, at the invitation of the organization.

According to experts, the tsunami event in Greece could cause peripheral and not just local problems and therefore requires timely preparation. Among other things, UNESCO proposes a series of actions to describe the dreaded areas as Tsunami Ready.

Which areas are threatened with tsunami in Greece

The meeting of the 20 scientists took place last week at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris at the invitation of its intergovernmental oceanographic committee, representing more than 190 states on the globe.

« The aim of the Conference was for the participants – leading scientists not only on tsunami but also on seismology, tectonic, marine geology and in similar disciplines – to consider in depth what are the sources from which the tsunami can be caused by the tsunami. » Papadopoulos, a seismologist and member of the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Mediterranean University, who was a technical adviser to prepare and hold the meeting.

The two large geotectonic structures

During the conference, which lasted three days, emphasis was placed on two major geotectonic structures: The first was the Greek seismic arc, which starts from the Ionian Sea, includes the western Peloponnese, Crete and ends in Rhodes, and which is the limit of « Titania Battle » of lithospheric plates resulting in very strong earthquakes. The second geotectonic structure discussed includes the area from the Azores to Gibraltar, a space where strong tsunami earthquakes have also occurred in the past.

« A tsunami in Greece could reach 10 meters in height and depending on the morphology of the coastline to penetrate up to three kilometers inside the coast. Consequently, all of these data should be combined with other research programs that will more accurately determine the risk depending on the particular characteristics of each area, ”says Gerasimos Papadopoulos. « In any case, a large tsunami in Greece would have an influence throughout the Eastern Mediterranean. UNESCO is developing long -term programs to reduce the risk of tsunami on a global scale and has issued recommendations that are scientifically supported by UNESCO but are now going on operational, ”says Gerasimos Papadopoulos.

The actions requested by the States to receive an area the « Tsunami Ready flag » as the beaches receive the « Blue Flag » include, among other things In the event of a risk, relevant information material is available and drawing of emergency plans have been prepared. « In Greece, the Tsunami Ready regions have conquered the coastal zone of Samos, where we remind you that on October 30, 2020 there was an earthquake of 7 Richter, accompanied by a medium -sized tsunami, » says Dr. Papadopoulos.

The tsunami protection is also included in the tsunami warning system developed in Europe after the 2004 deadly tsunami in the Indian Ocean and involving the Mediterranean countries under the UNESCO coordination.