State emergency declared in Greek port city after massive dead fish crisis

The port city of

Volos

in central Greece has declared a state of emergency due to a massive influx of dead fish, which locals fear could harm their livelihoods.
The emergency, announced by the

Climate Ministry

on Saturday, aims to speed up the cleanup of the

Pagasetic Gulf port

where tons of dead fish have piled up along the coast and in rivers.
This crisis follows last year’s devastating floods in the Thessaly region, which had already caused significant damage.

The floods caused a nearby lake, which was drained in the year 1962 to fight malaria, to refill and expand dramatically.
As the waters receded, freshwater fish were pushed toward the Volos port, where they died in the saltwater environment.

On Tuesday alone, authorities removed 57 tons of dead fish from the beaches near Volos. Cleanup efforts are ongoing, with special nets placed at the Xiria River to contain the remaining fish.
The local economy has been hit hard, with tourism down nearly 80% since last year’s floods.
Stefanos Stefanou, president of the local association of restaurants and bars, expressed concern, saying, "This situation with the dead fish will be the death of us. What visitor will come to our city after this?"
The ongoing environmental crisis has led to an investigation by the public prosecutor, as authorities seek to understand the full extent of the damage and prevent future occurrences.