The island of Nisyros was declared in a state of emergency by the Secretary General for Civil Protection to deal with the consequences of the extreme weather that battered the island in the Dodecanese on February 17.

Following the official documentation of extensive damage due to high winds, intense rainfall, and stormy waters, local authorities submitted a formal request to the General Secretariat for Civil Protection in an effort to expedite any financial support.

According to the decision, the state of emergency will last for three months until May 18.

According to an assessment by the competent local authorities, serious damage was recorded to critical infrastructure on the island. Among other issues, a community road was partly destroyed and subsided, while significant damage was also recorded on a second road.

The extreme weather also undermined quay walls and caused the collapse of a retaining wall on the Mandraki waterfront.

The destruction of the infrastructure posed an immediate risk to the safety of residents and visitors to the island.

Based on the decision, restoration works can be expedited, while the allocation of emergency funds and the coordination of actions with the competent ministries and the Region of South Aegean can be accelerated, avoiding red-tape delays.

The Municipality of Nisyros has already begun taking all necessary steps to repair the damage and strengthen the area against future extreme weather events.