By Nicolas Bard

It was September 27, 2021 and the clock was 9:17 in the morning, when there was a strong 6 -magnitude Richter earthquake, focusing very close to Arkalochori, Heraklion. The earthquake was so strong that it caused many material disasters both in Arkalochori and in the surrounding villages. Indeed, a man lost his life when the Temple of Prophet Elias collapsed. The earthquake was part of a seismic sequence, which began in the area four months before this earthquake.

The inhabitants of Arkalochori saw their village crumble in a matter of seconds, while most were forced to leave their homes, and have stayed in containers ever since. Four years after this murderous earthquake, nothing has really changed. Hundreds of people stay in temporary living settlements outside the village and many houses are literally hanging from a thread, and are ready to collapse. The only demand of all the affected is to return to their homes.

So what happens when your own place no longer holds you? And how can you build your life again from scratch when you don’t have the necessary support? Going back after work tired at home for some people may be a given, but for others. About 3,500 people in the Municipality of Minoa Plain left there after the hit of Enceladus, and they are not going to come back. So let’s give the first word to the earthquake of Arkalochori.