Beneath the calm surface of Lake Mornos, near Athens, the remnants of the village of Kalio, submerged more than four decades ago, lay undisturbed until recently. Just as the village had almost completely faded from the memory of its former inhabitants, the remains of houses began to emerge from the water, as if resurrected, revealing the eerie reality brought on by drought.
I’m sure no one from the older generation expected to once again see the walls of their long-submerged homes, which now appear ghostly, surrounded by shells and algae, making it hard to recall memories of a happy childhood. In fact, the ruins that have resurfaced warn of a bleak future awaiting us all unless we take decisive steps to mitigate the climate crisis.
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Greece has been grappling with drought for years, which has immeasurable consequences for agriculture and water supply. All the salty water surrounding this popular tourist destination cannot help when the sun is scorching, and there’s no rain in sight. Winters without precipitation, combined with summer heatwaves, have lowered the water levels in many rivers and lakes, including the artificial Lake Mornos.
This lake was created 45 years ago by constructing an earthen dam on the river of the same name in central Greece. The importance of one of the largest artificial lakes in the country lies in the fact that it supplies water to the entire city of Athens, home to 40 percent of Greece’s population.
This year’s relentless heat has jeopardized the stable water supply for the Greek capital, reminding local residents along the shores of Lake Mornos of the abandoned homes and the sacrifice they had to make nearly half a century ago.
According to global media reports, some residents now fear that the drought will soon reveal the entire village, including the church located near the center of the lake.
This isn’t the first time dry summers have uncovered mysteries we’d rather not see. Two years ago, water levels in certain European rivers dropped so low that stones with unusual warnings emerged, with one inscribed with, “If you see me, weep.”
These stones are also known as “hunger stones” because, when rivers dry up to the point where the stones become visible, the consequences for agriculture—and thus hunger—are almost inevitable.
Is there an effective way to stop droughts? Although we may feel powerless when scorching summer days become relentless and lakes and rivers begin to disappear, one of the primary ways to step into a brighter future is to fight climate change.
Human activity is the main reason summers are becoming hotter, and average temperatures in countries are breaking previous records year after year. While it’s frightening, the realization that we are responsible is, in some way, reassuring because it might not be too late to atone for decades of environmental neglect.
More electric cars and renewable energy sources mean we’ll release fewer greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and hopefully, the coming summers will be greeted with more pleasant temperatures. While I, as a journalist, admit that I was excited by the intriguing headline about the “resurrected” village, I must confess that I’d still prefer it if what’s beneath the water—stays there.
