Authorities in central Greece collected more than 100 tonnes of dead freshwater fish from the port of Volos, its bay and nearby waterways after extreme swings in water levels. The fish originated in Lake Karla and spread roughly 20 kilometres east toward the coast, creating dense accumulations and a strong smell.
The sequence began with severe flooding in autumn 2023, when a deadly storm abruptly expanded water coverage across Thessaly. Months of limited rain and repeated summer heat then caused levels to retreat. Fish that had moved through flooded areas became trapped or carried into unsuitable marine water as the temporary connections shrank.
Lake Karla itself has an unusual history. It was drained in the early 1960s and restored in 2018 as part of an effort to reduce drought impacts. The 2023 flood pushed its waters beyond normal boundaries, while the following dry period created another rapid environmental change for species adapted to freshwater.
Regional authorities hired fishing boats, earthmoving machinery and contractors to remove carcasses from shorelines and rivers. Crews loaded the fish onto trucks for incineration. Deputy regional governor Anna Maria Papadimitriou said millions of fish were spread between the lake and the coast, requiring a cleanup across multiple sites.
The die-off quickly affected Volos businesses. The city’s Chamber of Commerce estimated that activity along the seafront fell by 80% over three days. Restaurants and other hospitality businesses suspended operations as odour and decaying fish discouraged residents and visitors from the waterfront.
The chamber said it would seek damages through legal action. Volos’s mayor criticised the regional authority for responding too slowly, creating a dispute over whether faster barriers or collection could have reduced the impact. The supplied report did not identify a court filing outcome or determine responsibility for the delayed response.
The event was climate-related in the sense that successive weather extremes changed the lake and drainage system; it was not described as a toxic spill or infectious outbreak. The immediate mechanism was the movement and death of freshwater fish after floodwater receded during drought and heat.
Cleanup addressed the visible emergency, but the scale showed the economic and ecological risks created when restored wetlands, rivers and ports are exposed to rapid shifts between excess water and scarcity. Volos faced both the disposal of more than 100 tonnes of biomass and the task of restoring confidence in its seafront economy.
The bay lies about 320 kilometres north of Athens, placing the emergency in a regional port rather than an isolated lake. Moving carcasses through populated commercial areas compounded the sanitation and odour problem while crews worked to prevent further accumulation.
