Broad meeting in the municipality of Heraklion for the cracks in Voutes

An emergency broad meeting was held at the Municipality of Heraklion, focusing on the cracks that have been detected in the past 24 hours in the settlement of Voutes, which has been declared in a state of emergency. As Mayor Alexis Kalokairinos explained, the goal was to create a "roadmap" that would "include the investigation, evaluation of the phenomenon, investigation of the causes, and of course, the response."
In a bid to address the emerging situation in the Voutes settlement, Heraklion Mayor Alexis Kalokairinos emphasized that "there is no reason for particular concern," while underscoring the need for "vigilance, alertness, composure, and swift action." He further clarified that steps are already underway to provide immediate housing for residents of the nine homes deemed in need of repair.
Additionally, a working group has been established, led by Professor Efthymios Lekkas, Chair of the Permanent Special Scientific Committee for Seismic Risk Assessment.
In a statement, Professor Constantinos Loupasakis of the Department of Geological Sciences at the National Technical University of Athens highlighted that there are indications the phenomenon may have pre-existed. He noted that cracks were identified in homes, which had manifested one or even two years ago, describing them as "suspicious cracks potentially linked to the landslide phenomena we are currently observing."
Professor Loupasakis highlighted the prompt mobilisation of both the municipal authorities and the state apparatus, as well as the scientific community. Regarding the causes of the phenomenon, he offered an assessment linking it to water-related factors-such as leaks and humidity-viewed in the context of building structures, their age, the condition of utility networks, and prevailing environmental conditions.
"This formation is dangerous. When it becomes wet, that is, when humidity increases, this formation exhibits movements," explained Loupasakis, emphasizing that "when we refer to leaks in the water supply and sewage networks, we must also consider potential leaks occurring from the internal network-that is, from the plumbing systems of the old houses located in the area."
"We have a series of factors that can lead to increased moisture within the formations," noted Konstantinos Loupasakis, explaining that "the exact mechanism of the landslide is not easy to determine from a single inspection."