DIAKAKIS, M., LEKKAS, E., DELIGIANNAKIS, G., KATSETSIADOU, K., MELAKI, M., ANTONIADIS, Z. (2015). – The flood event of October 2014 in Athens: Characteristics and impacts. In: Proceedings 'SafeChania 2015: The Knowledge Triangle in the Civil Protection Service (Education, Research, Innovation), Chania.
In 24 October 2014, a high intensity storm hit Athens western suburbs causing extensive flash flooding phenomena. The drainage and the sewerage network of the city were overwhelmed leading to catastrophic flood flows along the road network, flooding houses and businesses, sweeping away vehicles, injuring people and causing numerous problems in transportation across the city. Parts of the floodplain were inundated for several hours, particularly in Ilion, Peristeri, Acharnai, Korydallos and Piraeus. This work examines in detail and reconstructs both the storm's and the flood's characteristics, the different types of direct effects within the urban environment and the severity of its direct impacts across Athens basin. Results show a concentration of flood damages in specific locations mostly along the city's natural drainage network and even derelict streams and culverts converted in the 1950s and 1960s to streets. At their peak stage, floodwaters extended to an area of 4.9 square km recording a maximum depth of 170 cm in certain locations. Eight types of direct impacts were identified including effects on vegetation, geomorphology, erosion rates, mobile objects, buildings and infrastructure with low, medium and high damage severity levels across the flooded area. Mapping of effects made possible the delineation of high impact parts across the flooded areas.