The submerged village of Kallio in Lake Mornos is gradually re-emerging as the waters of the reservoir continue to recede at an alarming rate.

Day by day, residents witness the rapid decline of the lake. At the same time, the ruins of their abandoned village are revealed — stirring memories of childhood, family life, and a community that once thrived.

When the artificial Lake Mornos was completed in 1980 to supply water to Athens, the people of Kallio were forced to leave their homes. Many relocated to a newly built settlement at an altitude of 390 meters, though most eventually moved to Athens and other cities. Today, only about 60 people remain in the new village of Kallio, watching as their past emerges from the water.

Eighty houses, along with the village church and district school, were submerged for the sake of Athens’ water supply. Now, as the waters recede, these buildings resurface, silent witnesses of a sacrifice made decades ago.

The shrinking of Lake Mornos has raised concerns not only in the local community but also across the wider region, since Attica’s water reserves depend heavily on Mornos, as well as on Lake Evinos, Kopaida, and Yliki.