Greek authorities closed off the famous Navagio Beach, or Shipwreck Beach, on Zakynthos following a landslide caused by the earthquake that hit nearby Kefalonia earlier on Thursday.
The area has been evacuated, and tourists and boats are prohibited from accessing the beach.
Videos posted on social media show a major landslide on the left cliff of the beach that is visited by thousands every day.
There have been no reports of injuries.
2018 landslide at Navagio beach injured 7 tourists
In 2018, seven people were injured in another landslide on the same beach.
At the time, Greek authorities also shut down the beach which remained off-limits for tourists until April 2019.
New security measures were worked out by Efthimios Lekkas, the president of Greece’s Geology and Geo-environmental Department, along with his team.
Navagio Beach has been divided into three clearly-demarcated zones. The first allows free access while the second zone allows only for restricted use following rainfall or earthquakes. This zone is supervised. The third zone on the beach is completely closed off to all visitors.
Navagio Beach is among the most popular beaches in Greece and the second most-photographed site in the country.
Located in a secluded cove with turquoise blue waters and surrounded by towering white cliffs, Navagio offers a unique landscape, starring a historic shipwreck just off the famous beach.
The remote beach got its new name in October 1980 when a huge storm forced the ship “Panagiotis” to run aground there. Prior to that time, the beach had been known solely as Agios Georgios.
It was rumored that the ship was smuggling contraband cigarettes and alcohol when it ran aground. The ship was abandoned, and the captain and some crew members were arrested. They were later cleared of all smuggling charges.
At the time, little did they know, locals on Zakynthos feared that the shipwreck would ruin the reputation of the beach and the island itself. The shipwreck has since been visited by millions and photographed by just as many.
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