The Mayor of Hersonissos, Zacharias Doxastakis, has issued an urgent call for the activation of regional procedures to repair severe damage along the Gouves coastal front in Crete.

In a formal letter to Crete’s Regional Governor, Stavros Arnaoutakis, the mayor emphasized that the municipality has already submitted a technical report titled “Coastal Protection Works of Hersonissos Municipality and Restoration of Damage at the Coastal Front.” The report references a completed regional study on the area, “Coastal Protection: Gouves – Kokkinos Chani,” and requests immediate implementation under Article 12A of Law 2971/2001, which allows for urgent interventions. The goal is to restore the protective wall and road infrastructure without delay.

The municipality highlighted that the section west of the Church of Saint Constantine faces significant safety risks for residents and visitors. Gouves is one of the municipality’s most vital zones, serving both tourism and daily local activity, making timely repairs essential.

Since the first signs of damage, the municipality has been actively documenting the situation, notifying relevant authorities, and initiating all necessary procedures. The mayor stressed the importance of joint cooperation between the regional and municipal authorities to secure ministry approval and funding for the proposed restoration plan, addressing widespread erosion in Gouves and the surrounding Hersonissos area.

Crete’s General Secretariat for Civil Protection has declared the municipality in a state of emergency until 23 July 2026 due to repeated extreme weather events causing coastal erosion.

Mayor Doxastakis concluded by assuring that Hersonissos is prepared to provide full technical and administrative support to regional authorities to ensure an immediate and effective response to the urgent coastal threat.