Livestock that survived the recent floods in central Greece will “die of starvation” if there is no immediate steps taken to cover the shortage in animal feed, breeders in flood-stricken areas in Central Greece warn.
Surviving animals are at risk to die either of starvation or from contaminated water as thousands of carcasses are still under water posing what health experts describe as a “bomb for the public health,” for humans and animals alike.
Video: a volunteer with a boat brought tow breeders and animal feed for some 40-60 sheep that survived the floods.
ΕΝΗΜΕΡΩΣΗ:Πριν λίγες ώρες ένας εθελοντής με βάρκα μετέφερε δύο συγχωριανούς στο κτήμα μου για να ταϊσουν τα όσα ζώα απέμειναν από την οικογένεια που έφερε τα δικά τους πρόβατα σε εμάς. Δυστυχώς από τους στάβλους μου δεν ακούγεται καμία φωνή από πρόβατα 1/2#Λάρισα #πλημμυρες pic.twitter.com/BbAo0ie3J5
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Breeders warn that even the feed they managed to save is now rotting as it got wet from the flooding waters.
Yannis Kokouras, mayor of Tyrnavos near Larissa, said that while 25,000 sheep were saved in his municipality, farmers have no sheds or feed for them following the deluge, which was a deep concern especially as lambing season was approaching.
“Where will we be able to keep the animals now?” he said, speaking to state-run news agency radio praktoreio.gr.
According to first estimates, nearly 100,000 animals have drowned in the floods of Thessaly and parts of Central Greece, the breadbasket of the country in the agricultural and livestock economy.
Tyrnavos
Yiannis Kokouras said that the livestock breeders in the area managed to save 25,000 sheep that are roaming in unpenned areas and are facing severe issues in feed. “We managed to stop the (flood) waters at five meters in front of the first houses in Ambelonas and Vryotopos,” he said, but the town known for its cheese, wine, and tsipuro remains isolated since roads to major supply city Larissa, in the north-northwest, are still inaccessible. The only road leading away from Tyrnavos is north, leading to Elassona and Kozani and a long way around to Larissa.
“Large livestock units were destroyed, and it is unfortunately the time of productive process – sheep are now starting to give birth,” Kokouras said.
“Therefore, they need immediately animal feed and spaces to be transferred to. They are now held within parks and areas in Ambelons. They don’t know where to take them. Some livestock associations from other regions responded and sent us
- No items.
In addition, vineyard owners cannot access their land, a lot of which are under water, and it is now grape-collecting season, while the wastewater-processing plant went out of order as the water is two meters high.
Elassona
In equally key production center Elassona, the storm and floods did not destroy everything, National Association of Livestock Breeders secretary general Nikos Palaskas told amna.
“We are now threatened by infections from the dead animals. Unfortunately, the process of collecting them is taking a long time. It is very difficult to approach the livestock units still under water, and wherever animals have survived, they throw animal feed down by air,” the farming official said.
Drowned animals
ATTENTION! GRAPHIC FOOTAGE!
According to official information on Wednesday morning, until 9 a.m. the following dead animals have been declared:
- 49,050 sheep and goats
- 19,295 pigs
- 4,186 cattle
- 40,330 chicken and other poultry
So far, 21,906 goats and sheep, 6,800 pigs, 20 cattle and 23,300 poultry have been removed and disposed via sanitary burial or cremation in the landfill of Larissa and other regions of Greece, media reported.
“Unfortunately, the process of collecting them is very slow. It is very difficult to approach the livestock units that are under water,” Mayor Palaskas said adding that animal carcasses had “reached the sea in Platamonas,” in Pieria regional unit.
He stressed adding that where animals have been saved, feed is being dropped to them from the air.
Video: Breeder visiting his facility: He whistels and no respond by his 800 sheep. All drown.
State Help not enough
“To buy 1,000 animals, you need 250,000 euros. To build a livestock unit to you need at least 1 million euros. The assistance of 5,000-6,000 euros is not enough even for a week’s animal feed. Whoever has animals that survived will have to face the winter, and those who lost them will replace them with difficulty,” Palaskas added.
The government’s offer of immediate aid of 5,000-6,000 thousand euros was “not even enough for a week’s supply of feed,” he continued.
Other breeders in the flooded areas have complained about the shoortage of feed and space as well as the state help that is not enough “even to buy a tractor,” they said.
