Drought emergency on Greek isles*

 From correspondents in Athens

August 01, 2007 05:03am
Article from: Reuters

GREECE overnight declared a state of emergency on the Cyclades islands,
including the popular holiday destinations of Mykonos and Santorini,
because of water shortages caused by a drought and heatwave.

The interior ministry said it took the decision, which amounts to little
more than an administrative procedure, to force officials to speed up
work on improving water supplies.

The mayor of the island of Kimolos warned the island was without water
and the situation was unlikely to improve any time soon.

"We need help. There has been no water on the island since yesterday,"
Mayor Theodoros Maganiotis told state TV.

Locals and tourists in the Cyclades have complained of lengthy cuts in
water supply after a year-long drought. Greece, along with other parts
of southern Europe have been hit by a heatwave over the last week with
temperatures reaching up to 46 degrees Celsius.

In Athens alone, where nearly half the Greek population lives, water
reserves have fallen by 26.4 per cent in July from the same month last
year, the capital's water company EYDAP said.

At least two people have died as a result of the heat.

For the Cyclades islands delays in transporting fresh water by ship have
exacerbated the situation.

"The region is declared today in a state of emergency so as to cut
through red tape and speed up public works needed to improve the water
supply system," said an interior ministry official who declined to be named.

The barren and sun-baked Cyclades host millions of tourists each summer
and have for years demanded action from the government to improve water
supply.

Some islands, including Santorini, have started to set up up
desalination plants to tackle the long-standing problem.