The landslide that occurred a few days ago at Myrtos Beach on the island of Kefalonia has raised serious concerns, after large rocks and quantities of soil broke away from the steep cliff face and cascaded onto the shoreline, generating a dense cloud of dust. The incident was captured on video and widely shared on social media, with beachgoers present at the scene at the time of the rockfall.
Read also: Kefalonia: Video captures rockfall at Myrtos Beach
@tinabest2005 Just another ordinary day on the island.. 🇬🇷😎 #kefalonia #myrtosbeach #greece #rocks ♬ Original sound – Smastoras
Speaking exclusively to parapolitika.gr, the president of the Earthquake Planning and Protection Organisation (EPPO), Professor Efthymios Lekkas, explained that Myrtos Beach was shaped by millions of years of geological processes and that landslides are phenomena directly linked to the geomorphology of the area. He stressed that this is not an unprecedented event, as similar incidents have been recorded at this location on previous occasions. At the same time, he noted that the recent landslide served as a warning sign, emphasising that “we are at the limits of acceptable risk” — while not ruling out the possibility of larger landslides occurring in the future.
Emergency measures that have been decided
Following a meeting of the Civil Protection Risk Assessment Committee, the following preventive measures were approved:
- Local authorities responsible for beaches with elevated landslide risk must take action to prevent residents and tourists from approaching hazardous areas.
- In the event of a landslide, beachgoers and visitors must be immediately evacuated from the beach, as smaller rockfalls may serve as a warning sign that a larger landslide is imminent.
- Following strong seismic activity or heavy rainfall, beaches presenting similar geological hazards must remain temporarily closed until a thorough safety inspection has been carried out and the area has been confirmed safe for the public.
According to Professor Lekkas, the long-term measures planned to ensure safety at Myrtos include continuous scientific monitoring of the area and the design of slope stabilisation interventions.
It is worth noting that the landslide occurred along a steep section of the hillside directly above Myrtos Beach. Despite the scale of the event and the dense dust cloud produced by the falling rocks, there were no injuries reported. The videos that circulated on social media reignited the broader conversation about the need for heightened vigilance at beaches with dramatic geological relief.
