The Arkalochori earthquake struck the Greek island of Crete on September 27, 2021. The destructive magnitude 6.0 earthquake hit at 09:17 a.m. local time (06:17 GMT), with its epicenter located near the farming town of Arkalochori, southeast of Heraklion.
- The “Helping Homes” project by INZEB presented shocking data in Heraklion regarding disaster recovery in Crete and Thessaly.
- Five years after the Arkalochori earthquake, less than 15% of damaged buildings have been restored.
- Survivors express profound anger and fear, citing a bureaucratic “empty shirt” of state support after the initial emergency phase.
The field research of the project “Helping Homes Become Resilient in Climate-Affected Greece”, implemented by INZEB, focuses on those affected by Storm Daniel in the Mouzaki area of Karditsa in the Region of Thessaly, and by the earthquake that struck Arkalochori in the Municipality of Minoa Pediada in the Region of Crete.
Five years after the devastating earthquake that struck Arkalochori, many residents continue to feel forgotten, with frustration over slow reconstruction and declining confidence in public institutions emerging as key findings of a new resilience study presented in Heraklion.
According to the study, emotional and social impacts remain profound years after the disasters. Nearly 78% of Arkalochori respondents said the earthquake had affected their lives “very much,” while almost 89% expressed dissatisfaction with current recovery efforts. Every participant reported continued fear that another major disaster could strike.
Recovery remains slow
Civil engineer and European Climate Pact Ambassador Giannis Anastasakis said the research highlights persistent weaknesses in Greece’s disaster recovery system.
“Fear, disappointment and anger are common regardless of whether people experienced an earthquake or a flood,” he said, arguing that while emergency assistance often arrives quickly, long-term recovery frequently stalls.
Anastasakis noted that fewer than 15% of damaged buildings in Arkalochori have been fully restored, describing the years following the initial emergency response as a period of inadequate follow-through.
He also called for reforms that would combine energy-efficiency upgrades with seismic strengthening, arguing that homes should be renovated to improve both sustainability and resilience rather than addressing one issue at a time.
Climate resilience becoming a housing issue
INZEB CEO Alis Korovesi said the findings demonstrate that climate-related disasters are reshaping how people think about housing, security, and the future.
“A home is more than a building,” she said. “It represents safety, dignity, memories, and hope.”
Korovesi also highlighted the challenge facing Europe’s aging building stock, noting that buildings account for around 40% of total energy consumption in the European Union. She pointed to the EU’s revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), which Greece has yet to fully implement, as an opportunity to modernize housing while improving resilience.
Trust remains fragile
The survey paints a picture of communities still struggling years after disaster struck.
Among the key findings:
- 11.1% reported their homes were completely destroyed.
- 22.2% said their homes remain uninhabitable due to severe damage.
- Nearly 89% were dissatisfied with the current recovery situation.
- Nearly 89% did not believe additional meaningful support measures would be introduced.
- All respondents said they remain concerned about future natural disasters.
Looking beyond emergency response
Political scientist Dr. Alexandra Politaki, who helped design the research, argued that resilience extends far beyond emergency response.
She said current public policy still focuses heavily on immediate disaster relief while giving far less attention to prevention and long-term recovery. This imbalance leaves communities vulnerable to future crises.
According to Politaki, rebuilding safe housing is fundamental not only for physical recovery but also for restoring dignity, social cohesion, and people’s ability to rebuild their lives.