Μake us preferred on Google Heavy rain has caused extensive flooding in Lasithi, eastern Crete, leaving thousands of acres of farmland underwater and causing significant damage to potato and vegetable crops.
Fields across the Lasithi Plain have been transformed into lakes, with water and mud covering areas that were cultivated only days ago. For farmers, the disaster threatens not only this year’s harvest but also the money they have already invested in producing it.
Crops submerged after heavy rainfall
The flooding has caused widespread damage to agricultural land, with potato and vegetable crops among the hardest hit.
In some areas, farmers face the prospect of losing entire crops rather than simply seeing reduced yields. The full extent of the damage has not yet been recorded, but the situation is already causing serious concern among producers.
The overflow of the Havgas River has made conditions worse. Water spilled over the riverbank and flowed back toward agricultural fields, further flooding areas that had already absorbed large amounts of water.
Farmers face major financial losses
The damage comes after farmers have already paid for seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, fuel, labor and other cultivation costs.
With the crops that were expected to generate income now at risk of being destroyed, producers face the prospect of being unable to recover those expenses.
The financial impact could be particularly severe for farming families that depend on this year’s production for their income.
Farmers are now assessing their losses and waiting for the damage-recording process to begin so that the procedures for compensation can move forward.
They are also seeking answers from the government over the amount and timing of financial assistance.
Emergency measures in place
The Municipality of the Lasithi Plateau has been placed under a state of emergency for civil protection, while inspections and damage assessments continue.
Authorities have yet to establish the full scale of the destruction. The immediate priority for farmers is not only to document the damage but also to secure timely support to help them recover from the losses.
For producers across Lasithi, the storms have left more than flooded fields. They have created a major financial gap whose consequences are expected to become increasingly apparent over the coming months.
