Historic bridge of Plaka washed away amid heavy rainfall

Evacuated villages in the lowlands of the county

The historic stone-arched bridge of Plaka has collapsed due to torrential rainfall that caused the Arachthos River, over which it stood, to rip the structure’s foundations from the riverbanks.

The 19th bridge was reportedly the widest of its kind in the Balkans and was one of the best-known monuments in the ruggedly beautiful region known as Tzoumerka, on the border of Ioannina and Arta prefectures.

Flooding was reported throughout the NW Greece province of Epirus.