Mount Athos submitted a request to the Region of Central Macedonia to declare a state of emergency in Mount Athos due to the damage caused by the recent bad weather.
The Region forwarded the request to the General Secretariat for Civil Protection and the Secretary-General authorized the Governor of Central Macedonia to declare a six-month state of emergency.
As things stand, the road network from Dafni to Karyes has been severely damaged at three points, where the pavement is all cracked and the transport by road is carried out by bypasses only by means of small vehicles. The road network that connects some monasteries, such as the Vatopedi Monastery and the Pantokratoros Monastery, as well as Karyes with the Monasteries of Hilandar, Kostamonitou, Docheiariou and Zograf, has also been damaged, where the transport is carried out by sea, through the port of Dafni, and then by road from bypasses to Karyes.
The traffic for the monasteries that are located on the north side of the Athonite State, such as Great Lavra, Iviron, Koutloumousiou, Karakalou, Filotheou, Vatopedi and others, due to the bad weather and the restrictive measures, is not currently served by sea. Traffic can only be served by side roads only by means of small vehicles, while larger vehicles, trucks for supplies and medicines, fuel tanks, and others cannot move.
“We are trying to solve the problem of the shortage during this period by restoring the sea transport for these monasteries from Daphni port. Small vehicles can pass by side roads, but travel time has increased significantly. We are doing everything we can and we are waiting for state’s support so that the damages can be repaired quickly,” said the Chief Secretary, Father Kosmas, who is representative of the Iera Epistasia (Holy Administration) of Mount Athos, to ANA-MPA.
Damage has also been reported to the water supply network in some buildings and shops in Karyes and in monasteries such as the Pantokratoros Monastery. Damage has also been sustained to the boatyard of this monastery.
Source: ANA-MPA
