Significant structural problems, which undoubtedly worry the society of Evia, were found by the Committee of Engineers-Employees in the autopsy of the building facilities of EPAL. Chalkida.

Specifically, the use of rooms K5 and K11, which are the professors’ offices, was prohibited, while the parapets of the exteriors around the 3rd floor must be restored immediately.

As cracks in walls and subsidence observed in the school complex after the successive Richter earthquakes that hit Evia in 2022 worried parents, teachers and students, the Municipal Authority of Chalkide appointed a competent committee to carry out an autopsy and checks regarding the condition and safety of the building facilities.

The Commission carried out a macroscopic inspection and prepared an Autopsy Report.

The interventions that will be carried out immediately according to the announcement of the Municipal Authority are

The preparation of a full static adequacy study, for which the commissioning process has already started, as urgent.

The non-use of rooms K5 and K11, which are used as teachers’ offices, with the no. 1046/03-03-2023 decision of the Mayor of Chalkidea, as extensive and intense cracks were found in the masonry.

The restoration of the parapets of the exteriors, around the 3-storey buildings (buildings K10, K13, K17), works which will be assigned immediately as urgent.

The said Autopsy Report has been forwarded from 1/3/2023 to Building Infrastructures (KT.YP) S.A. and their assistance was requested for an immediate further control of the complex.

The above decision of the Mayor (1046/03-03-2023), for the non-use of rooms K5 and K11, at the time of its issuance, was duly sent to the Directors of the school units housed there and to the competent Directorate of Secondary Education of Evia and the the previous day (Thursday 02-03-2023) there was also an on-site briefing of the Principals, during a visit by the Mayor of Chalkidea, Elena Vaka, and a team of Engineers to the school complex.

The Municipality of Chalkide is taking every necessary action to protect the area, with the aim of avoiding danger and the smooth operation of these educational units.

The intense seismic activity observed on the island clearly contributes to the maintenance of the climate of fear and anxiety among the residents, with the fears of an even bigger earthquake, similar to the 5th magnitude, not having been overcome of course.

Based on the above, the finding of serious structural problems in school facilities further intensifies the climate of fear.

Parents of students in the area have expressed to evima.gr their concern about the prevailing situation by describing the general state of stress with which they send their children to class.

In fact, their anxiety increases, taking into account on the one hand the knowledge that the infrastructure already before the earthquakes was in need of maintenance due to its age and on the other hand the expert committee’s report on the existence of inappropriate libraries and furniture in the school premises which could very well constitute a “trap of death” in the event of another strong earthquake.