Ground opens under village
A village near Karditsa in central Greece is under threat from subsidence after a section of road gave way due to heavy rainfall, taking with it part of a home, according to an expert. Problems emerged shortly before Christmas when a 40-centimeter fissure initially appeared in the ground in the village of Kalyvia, near Lake Plastira. The fissure has since widened to some 70 centimeters, causing damage to the road and the house. There have been no reports of injuries. «The cause of the land subsiding is the soft soil and rainfall,» said Andreas Georgakopoulos, general manager of the Greek Institute of Geology & Mineral Exploration. «Areas in which large quantities of water are pumped from the ground often have greater problems of this type, caused by excessive use of underground water,» he added. Experts said that measures needed to be taken immediately in order to prevent further problems arising.
