Municipality of Kantanos-Selino closes Agia Irini Gorge until October 19 after heavy rain

The Municipality of Kantanos-Selino has announced that Agia Irini Gorge, in the municipal unit of Eastern Selino, will remain closed until Monday, October 19, due to heavy rainfall, according to a statement reported by Cretaone on October 15.

The municipality said the closure is a safety measure for visitors following intense rain in the area. It added that further notice on the gorge’s reopening would be issued separately once conditions allow.

Officials asked visitors not to attempt to enter the gorge until a new announcement is made. No reopening date beyond October 19 has been confirmed.

The closure comes amid a wider pattern of storm-related disruption across Crete in recent weeks, with authorities repeatedly warning the public to avoid gorges during periods of heavy rain. Several other gorges on the island have faced similar temporary closures as a precaution against flash flooding.

Cretaone’s report follows a string of weather-related advisories across the island, including one in which forecasters said ground saturation was keeping flood risk elevated even as storms eased in other parts of Crete. Rescue crews have also had to respond to gorge-related incidents during recent bad weather, such as when a Polish family with young children was found safe after getting lost in a Rethymno gorge.