Thessaloniki: Unprecedented deafening noise disturbs residents in Meteora, Polichni

An unprecedented deafening sound has upset residents in the Meteora Polichni area of the municipality of Pavlou-Mela in Thessaloniki.

This sound, according to the testimonies of the residents, is heard in the evening hours and has been recorded for five weeks.

Specifically, about a month ago, from midnight to the early hours of the morning, residents of the Meteora area noticed an annoying sound that could be heard most strongly at the junction of Kifissia and Acropolis streets.

What residents report

Testimonies of the residents explain the frightening situation they have been experiencing lately to the point of not being able to sleep, their concerns about the origin of the sound and the fears it inspires.

The first resident who noticed the sound and addressed the Citizens« Union »Meteora", is Vangelis Kochilakis who, speaking to ThessToday.gr, said that he lives in Kifissia Street and is the fifth week that he hears every night the same sound. He described it as deafening while he first heard it at 8 in the morning.

«At first I didn't pay attention but as I went along I was listening to him late at night. As the days went by, the sound could also be heard when I was inside my house. At the intersection of Kifissia and Acropolis streets it was heard more strongly, as if the epicentre was there, as well as inside the aqueduct where it is located a few kilometres away.. When we are at the point where it is loud, it feels like someone is pounding through the earth. That, of course, is where the gas pipeline is. We're all afraid because we don't know where it's coming from. There are people who are woken up by the sound at 2 and 3 o'clock in the morning. I, for example, yesterday at 5:30 in the morning, I was awake and I was listening to it,» Kohilakis describes.

At the same time, Ms. Anastasia Lampada, a resident of Meteora, explained to ThessToday.gr that those who live on the ground floor hear the sound inside their house. «I personally when I am on my balcony I hear it a lot. We walked with other residents to see where it leads and at the junction it sounds very loud, as if the ground is vibrating. Several families cannot sleep at night. Plus, it has become more intense and more annoying. In fact, on Saturday, January 8, because it was very loud at 1:30 in the evening, we all went out to see where it was coming from. When we reach the epicenter, we feel the dukk...dukk...dukk...dukk...», he described, stressing that this is a serious problem that needs immediate attention as no one knows what might happen.

Gas, water or geological phenomenon?;

According to the estimates of the residents of the area and the vice-president of the Citizens« Union »Meteora", Nikos Papadopoulos, the sound may be due to technical works in the area, without excluding geological phenomena. Mr. Papadopoulos told ThessToday.gr that «after many complaints from residents, we sent a request to the municipality of Pavlos Mela to investigate as we all want to identify the origin of the sound that has been bothering us for 5 weeks».

He pointed out that residents are worried either about an explosion in the gas pipelines as work has recently been completed in the area, or a leak in an EYATH pipeline or due to the water pipes. «The unknown scares us. We want to know where it comes from,» he stressed.

In order to investigate it, an expert, according to local residents, must go to the site for inspection after 12 o'clock at night.

EYATH team in the area

The Deputy Mayor of Daily Life - Immediate Intervention and Civil Protection of the municipality of Pavlou-Mela, Joseph Akis Arapoglou, noted in ThessToday.gr that he conducted an autopsy in the area on Wednesday night, and heard the strange sound mainly in the openings of the streets. «We contacted EYATH as the sound sound resembled a water rush and on January 12 in the morning, a team went to the area to check it. However, due to the noise of the city during the day, it was not possible for them to hear the sound and so, they informed us that they would visit the spot that evening as it was more audible. So far there has been no official update,» he said.

He added that the place where the problem is located is characterised by high altitude and wind gusts but «it seems strange to us to hear it on a daily basis. It may be due to a pipeline of EYATH and that is why we first contacted the service. Even if the cause is not found, we will call a geologist to investigate it.’

ThessToday.gr contacted Vassilis Melfos, associate professor of geology at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and estimated that, according to what was described for the sound in Meteora, it is probably due to the technical works of the region. «The geological phenomenon has been ruled out for now because if it existed, small landslides and cracks would appear. It is certainly necessary to be investigated by the competent authorities and if necessary a geologist should intervene», he said.