Gorges in the Chania Prefecture, Crete, will remain closed to visitors also on Monday, August 14, 2023, local authorities have announced. Deputy Regional Governor of Chania ordered the shutdown of all gorges in the region after the earthquake on Sunday morning. The Samaria Gorge shut down at 11 p.m., immediately after a Spanish tourist was seriously injured when part of rocks fell on him.
Mist rising from Samaria Gorge short after the Earthquake on Sunday via zarpanews.gr
Samaria Gorge will remain closed eventually for longer, following a decision of the Civil Protection and Climate Crisis Ministry in collaboration with the Greek Earthquake Planning and Protection agency (OASP).
Speaking to Mega TV on Monday morning, OASP head, Efthymios Lekkas, said aabout the closure due to precaution that “there is nothing we can do about landslides as the Samaria gorge is a protected natural area and like all its gorges emerged from intense seismic activity. That is, it is a space in which human interventions should be almost zero, we cannot put nets or other technical works.”
He added that people who decide to cross the gorge also take responsibility.
He pointed out that signs have been placed in the area under dangerous spots so that they do not remain in these spots for a long time.
“We cannot put restrictions. We will only put in cases of heavy rain. And of course the gorge will remain closed and when we deem it safe it will be opened. Maybe it will open tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, it depends on the development of the phenomena,” Lekkas added.
The 45-year-old Spanish tourist injured by a rock in Samaria Gorge short time after the earthquake was rescued and transported with a helicopter to the hospital in Chania early afternoon Sunday. He underwent a surgery and had one of his legs amputated.
He is reportedly intubated in ICU, his health condition is considered as “serious but stable.”
