by Mick the Ram

The Greek port of Volos has had a state of emergency declared on it by its regional governor, after hundreds of thousands of dead fish have washed up on miles of its normally idyllic coastline.

More than 100 tonnes of the rotting creatures have created a stench described as “biblical” and severely affecting visitor numbers to the popular tourist destination.

The bloated bodies of the silvery freshwater fish filled both the bay and nearby rivers, after they were displaced from their normal habitats following an abrupt rise in water levels leading to flooding and then months of extreme drought.

Authorities are placing the blame for the mass deaths on intense climate fluctuations.

Nowhere to go

Leading experts have identified that the issue has been caused by the historic floods in 2023 which swamped Thessaly plain, north of the port. The flood waters refilled the nearby Lake Karla that had been drained in 1962 in a bid to fight an outbreak of malaria, swelling it to three times its normal capacity.

The levels then receded drastically, forcing the freshwater fish toward the Volos port, which itself empties into the Pagasetic Gulf and the Aegean Sea, where it would be impossible for them to survive.

Nets could have averted disaster

Volos Mayor, Achilleas Beos, has accused the central government of acting too slowly in failing to put nets at the mouth of the river, which he said would have averted the tragic loss of the fish and avoided what he maintained could be a potentially economic catastrophe; as well as an environmental disaster for other species in the location.

The clean-up is well underway, with fishing trawlers and earthmovers working tirelessly to scoop up the decomposing fish from the water and load them onto trucks, which then transfer them to an incinerator.

Local businesses suffering badly

It has already been disastrous for the local businesses who rely on tourism, as the rancid smell has driven holiday-makers away from the harbour tavernas and restaurants.

Indeed, commercial activity in the city has dropped by over 80% in the past week according to its Chamber of Commerce estimates.

Investigation ordered by authorities

Scientists insist that the issues being experienced are being compounded by the climate crisis, with souring temperatures sparking wildfires, or creating torrential rainfall and blighting the local regions, with no sign of it letting up.

Local prosecutors have ordered an immediate investigation into the shocking episode, which has left Volos on its knees.