## 6 Secondary Earthquake Environmental Effects
### Slope Failures
#### 6.1.4 Slope Failures in the Southeastern Part of Samos  
* Rockfalls at Remataki  
Remataki is located at the eastern end of the Pythagoreio town, at the southeastern part of the Mytilini basin at a distance of \(\sim\)28 km southeast of the mainshock's epicenter (Figure 18). It is composed of traverting limestones and marls with intercalations of clay and layers of tuffs and tuffitic bodies. In the area of Pythagoreio, traverting limestones prevail. The rockfall-affected formation is of Miocene age.  
From the neotectonic point of view, the area was affected by the Pythagoreio fault (Figure 18). Its onshore eastern end is located near the Remataki site. As mentioned previously, this fault is the most important neotectonic structure in eastern Samos with a WNW-ESE strike and a southward dip.  
The upper and lower parts of the slope that failed at Remataki are composed of traverting limestone and marls, respectively. The slope failures due to the strong ground motion comprised blocks that fell from the overlying limestones (Figure 22). The generation of the blocks is attributed to the differential erosion of the formations. The underlying marls erode more easily than the overlying limestones, resulting in excavation and subsequently fall of the limestone blocks.  
Figure 21: (**a**) The coastal Kokkari town along with its coastal landforms (peninsula and islet) affected by secondary environmental effects induced by the 30 October 2020, Mw = 7.0, Samos earthquake. Rockfalls were triggered along the slopes of the Kokkari islet (**b**), along slopes of the port (**c**), and along the peninsula (**d–f**). The rockfalls observed on the Kokkari peninsula caused light non-structural damage to the adjacent reinforced concrete building and partial destruction of a wall along the base of the slope (**d–f**).  
Extensive rockfalls were generated at the same site on January 2017 after a period of extreme rainfall. These rockfalls caused serious damage to passing and parked cars. No fatalities or injuries were reported. Since then, this section of the road at the Remataki site has remained closed and will remain closed until the completion of the protection works and the stabilization of the rockfall-affected slope.
* Rockfalls at Marina of Samos This site is located at the eastern end of the Marina of Samos, at a distance of \(\sim\)1 km from the Remataki site and \(\sim\)29 km southeast of the earthquake's epicenter (Figure 18). It is composed of formations of the lower series of the Mytilinii basin and especially of travertine limestones, marls with intercalations of clay and loam, and layers of tuffs and tuffic bodies. The site is likely affected by the Pythagoreio fault as it seems that the zone terminates onshore at this rockfall site (Figure 18). During the earthquake, only small rockfalls occurred without a further impact on the surrounding environment, on the road network, and on the Marina port facilities (Figure 22).
* Rockfalls east of the Psili Ammos area This site is located at a distance of \(\sim\)7 km northeast of Samos Marina and \(\sim\)31 km southeast of the earthquake's epicenter (Figure 18). It is composed of marble of the Vourliotes nappe. The site is affected by an E-W-striking fault, whose westward continuation juxtaposes the formation of the Vourliotes nappe against Quaternary deposits. During the earthquake of 2020, several blocks of marble collapsed.