Flood stricken farmers in Larissa demand full compensation
Farmers affected by the recent floods gathered with their tractors on Thursday at the Platykambos interchange in Larissa, Thessaly. The farmers did not block the road, but they protested to demand immediate governmental measures for the enormous damage they suffered.
The Flood-Stricken Farmers Committee stated in a related announcement “We are fighting for survival, to be able to stay in our villages, our fields, our businesses. In order to do this, substantial support is needed for the affected farmers, breeders, and businessmen, and at the same time a plan for immediate restoration of the damages, and projects to prevent future flooding in the area. The state has responsibilities but no infrastructure or plan to protect our lives and property. It was absent during and after the disaster.”
According to state broadcaster ERT, several neighboring villages in the Larissa plain remain covered with water and, as the farmers participating in the protests say, the destruction is incalculable. Almost 50,000 acres are still under water.
In this context, the farmers demand full compensation for all the damages. Additionally, they request measures and construction of projects that will prevent a disaster of this magnitude from happening again.
Calculating the damage in agricultural land is very difficult as many acres of arable land are still under water. To date, the municipalities of Agia and Killeler remain in the worst conditions. In these areas, the plain has turned into a lake with a depth of up to six meters.
