Nearly three years after Storm Daniel devastated central Greece, shocking footage of motorists driving across a partially collapsed bridge near Larissa has highlighted the lingering infrastructure scars left by the historic floods.
The video shows cars and agricultural vehicles crossing the damaged bridge at Paleopyrgos in Thessaly despite significant structural damage suffered during the September 2023 storm, which caused widespread destruction across the region.
@newsauto.gr Λάρισα: Οδηγοί ρισκάρουν σε μισοβυθισμένη γέφυρα Η γέφυρα που καταστράφηκε από το πέρασμα του Daniel το 2023 βρίσκεται στον Παλαιόπυργο και όπως φαίνεται υπάρχουν οδηγοί που θεωρούν φρόνιμο να ρισκάρουν την ζωή τους περνώντας από ότι έχει απομείνει. Ας ελπίσουμε ότι δεν θα υπάρξει κάποιο ατύχημα και πως οι Αρχές θα βάλουν ένα τέλος σε αυτές τις τριτοκοσμικές εικόνες. #fyp #newsauto #οδικήασφάλεια #bridge #greece #λάρισα
For many observers, the images raise obvious questions about public safety.
Storm Daniel inundated vast areas of Thessaly
For local residents, however, they also tell a story about isolation and the slow pace of reconstruction following one of the most destructive natural disasters in modern Greek history.
Storm Daniel inundated vast areas of Thessaly, destroying roads, bridges, farmland, homes, and businesses. Entire communities were cut off as floodwaters overwhelmed infrastructure throughout the country’s agricultural heartland.
The bridge near Paleopyrgos, which connected communities in the municipalities of Tempi and Agia with Larissa and surrounding areas, was among the structures severely damaged during the floods.
Nearly three years later, the crossing remains out of service.
Yet some drivers continue to use the remaining section of the bridge, apparently choosing the risk of crossing the damaged structure over considerably longer detours using alternative routes.
The footage has reignited debate over the pace of infrastructure restoration in Thessaly and whether communities affected by Storm Daniel have received the support needed to return to normality.
While major reconstruction projects have been announced across the region, residents and local officials have repeatedly pointed to delays in repairing roads, irrigation systems, and transport links that remain essential for local economies and everyday life.
Related: Experts Call for Massive Overhaul of Greece’s Thessaly Plane to Prevent Floods
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