Historical disasters

As a country, Greece has suffered from numerous floods, which have caused many people to become homeless. Not to mention the fact that floods have killed a considerable number of people.

From Greece's mythology, the first ever flood which occurred was named “The Ogygios Flood”. It happened in Voiotia and it killed lots of residents living there, but not King Ogygios, whom the flood was named after.

Despite Greece's vulnerability to major floods, it has mainly suffered from flash floods. A flash flood is a rapid flooding of geomorphic low-lying areas: washes, rivers, dry lakes and basins. It may be caused by heavy rain associated with a severe thunderstorm, hurricane, tropical storm, or meltwater from flowing-over ice sheets or snowfields. Flash floods can occur in unexpected times and are very deadly concerning the destruction ice or snow can create.

Here in Oraiokastro, we have been struck by floods on numerous occasions during the last years, but we were prepared and, luckily, no one was hurt. It is very likely that our landscape and high altitude are the reasons why floods are very susceptible to occur, especially during the autumn.