Ground cracks in Cretan village may be linked to burst water pipe

Authorities successful Crete are investigating whether a leak from an underground water pipeline is linked to the appearance of two important crushed fissures successful the village of Voutes, successful the Iraklio determination unit, prompting information concerns.

Speaking to Kathimerini, George Sisamakis, Iraklio’s lawman politician for technical infrastructure, confirmed that the pipeline leak was archetypal noticed connected April 23.

However, it remains uncertain whether the leak triggered the crushed cracks oregon if it was a effect of pre-existing soil movement.

Following inspections by the Directorate for Natural Disaster Recovery, 9 houses were classified arsenic “yellow” – indicating mean hazard – and their residents advised to evacuate for their ain safety.

While the village’s playground has been closed, its religion and taste halfway stay unfastened and deemed safe.

Experts constituent to the area’s topography and soil creation arsenic cardinal factors down the phenomenon. According to Dimitris Papanikolaou, emeritus prof of geology astatine the University of Athens, the cracks are the effect of rotational landslides.

“The village is situated connected a elevation with steep slopes supra the valley, making it permanently vulnerable to landslides,” Papanikolaou explained.

He stressed that the phenomenon, which has led to cracks stretching implicit 100 and 150 meters, evolves slowly under the unit of gravity and had apt been processing for some time.

“It is not sudden. Instability manifests astatine the slope edges where forces connected the surface and subsoil transcend stability thresholds,” helium said.

The geological creation of the area, dominated by unstable clay-rich sedimentary rocks alternatively than solid limestone, further increases the risk.

Papanikolaou recommended that precise measurements with specialized equipment, such arsenic micro-radars, beryllium conducted to show immoderate ongoing movements and measure the unit exerted connected the slopes.