Work has begun to bring the pedestrian bridge and the steep slopes of the Isthmus of Corinth to work, so that the shipping route can be opened before the peak of the tourist season this year.
It is known that the Strait of Corinth is the main artery for many tourist and merchant ships in Greece, with the number reaching 15,000 per year.
The canal crosses the Isthmus of Corinth in a straight line and has a length of 6346 m.Its width at sea level is 24.6 m, at the bottom – 21.3 m, and its depth – from 7.50 to 8 m.
However, the peculiar geological composition of its slopes led to the fact that from time to time a rockfall occurs, the walls of the strait crumble, as a result of which it remained closed for long periods.
In general, from the beginning of its work until 1940, due to various collapses, the canal was closed for 4 years. The most important of these occurred in 1923, when 41,000 cubic meters of land fell off. Then the channel remained closed for 2 years.
Also, the channel was closed for a long time in 1944 due to the explosion of the slopes, when the Germans retreated. Then 60 thousand cubic meters of soil fell off, and earthworks lasted for 5 years (1944-1949).
Present, 2021
On January 15, the slopes collapsed again, which led to the closure of the canal, as the passage of ships was deemed dangerous.
And only now it was decided to clear the channel ahead of the tourist season in Greece.
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