THE WILD BEAUTY OF GEOLOGY
At least 36 rotational landslides have been formed along the Krathis river, due to the high uplift rate, the high number of faults in the area and the erosive power of the river and its tributaries. There are 3 active landslides occurring today in the area around the village of the traditional mountain village Valimi (950m altitude), of which two are large and the 3rd one is of smaller extent. The visitor can stand in a distance and observe the catastrophic effect of nature forces to the landscape while thinking about the role of people in these effects.
Geodiversity
Along the Krathis river basin there are 4 active faults, the faults of Valimi, Platanos, Akrata and Vela, which cut the north part of the basin of Krathis river perpendicularly. These faults, the high rate of elevation of the area, the erosion caused by the river and its tributaries combined with the lithology of the area shaped the local landscape (the steep gorges and cliffs at slopes above 30°).
For the above mentioned reasons, near the village of Valimi, landslides have been activated in the past in at least two different time periods. The first period was in 1910 when the landslide events were extensive enough to drive the residents away from the main settlement. During the landslide material was transported to lower levels, forming thus terraces which are still visible today in this location.
The most recent landslide phenomena occurred after four decades, in the 1950s. These phenomena were milder than the previous ones; however, they led to the evacuation of the nearby settlements. The opening of the new road network combined with the wet eroded soils seems to have played the main role that caused this landslide. Today, at least two active landslides can be identified. The area of Valimi, according to recent research that has been carried out, seems to belong to the areas that present a high hazard risk for new landslide phenomena in the future.
Biodiversity The avifauna of the area is of great interest and includes birds such as the Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), and the Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo).
