Thessaly urban planning proposal targets flood resilience

The University of Thessaly’s Department of Spatial Planning, Urban and Regional Development has proposed a framework for designing resilient cities in Thessaly to combat extreme weather events. The study, led by Professor Seraphim Polyzos and Olga Christopoulou, draws on lessons learned from the devastating floods caused by Mediterranean cyclones ‘Daniel’ and ‘Elias’.

Thessaly has been identified as the region in Greece most severely impacted by extreme weather. The combined economic cost of the ‘Daniel’ and ‘Elias’ storms is estimated to exceed €5 billion, representing approximately 2.5% of Greece’s annual GDP. The proposed measures focus on urban planning and prevention to address the increasing pressures on the region's natural and built environments caused by changing rainfall and hydrographic data due to climate change.