Lekkas: Conclusions in the next few hours on the cracks in Voutes

The first estimates for the cracks in Voutes Heraklion are related to ground ruptures about 150 meters long, said Professor Efthimios Lekkas, chairman of the Permanent Special Scientific Committee for Earthquake Risk Assessment, during his introductory statement at the meeting of the Regional Operational Coordination Body for Civil Protection of the Prefecture of Heraklion.

Lekkas, who has been in Crete since Sunday night, said in a statement at the end of the meeting that two rifts are visible and have caused damage to homes, the church, the playground and networks in the area. In fact, he reiterated that in four cases of houses, after an inspection by Heraklion Municipality engineers, a recommendation was made to the owners not to stay as they pose risks.

As Lekkas said, “it is important to see what we will do from now on. I believe that in three to four hours we will have the data of the impressions that the scientific crews are doing in the area so that we can see where the phenomenon is caused. That is, whether it is due to a major landslide or a tectonic breakthrough, a tectonic line, a liquefaction, etc.”

In the area, however, the last 24 hours have created an uproar among residents, with some citizens noting that although they heard some noises, they did not realise from the beginning that these cracks were being created.

Lekkas also said that monitoring will continue in the area and that it is particularly important to observe the next measurements in order to identify possible deformations, after the recording by drones and high-definition systems.

Source: pagenews.gr