Volos: From flooded fields to fish cemetery

To an unsuspecting passer-by, almost nothing would have suggested that just a week ago, the city of Volos in central Greece had resembled a dystopia, with thousands of dead fish floating in the waters of the Pagasetic Gulf. However, as you approach the Bourboulithra wetland west of the port, a lingering unpleasant smell serves as a reminder of the recent disaster. Here lies the protective net placed by the Volos Port Authority at the mouth of the Xirias stream last week to contain the dead fish. While the majority have been removed, some remnants can still be found in Bourboulithra - dismembered fish, heads, and a few tails. But why did Volos turn into a fish cemetery?

"What we experienced was the result of two flooding events - Elias and Daniel - during which about 50,000 acres was flooded, and the political decision was made to drain these waters," explains Dimitris...