Waterfront houses in Mykonos, Greece (Image: Getty)
Greece is renowned across the world for its beautiful white sandy beaches with crystal clear waters.
However, panic has now erupted as spot checks by teams of Greek and international inspectors saw 22 beaches in different parts of Greece stripped of their Blue Flag certification during surprise visits.
According to the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature, the beaches no longer met the standards for quality, safety, services and environmental management criteria.
However, the quality of the swimming waters remains excellent as by the standards of the programme.
Paleokastritsa beach in Corfu, Greece (Image: Getty)
Some of the disgraced beaches are in popular tourist destinations including Rhodes, Crete, Mykonos and Corfu.
The four Crete beaches that lost their Blue Flag status are: Amnisos Beach of Hersonissos , Lerapetra 1 of Municipality of Ierapetra, Makrygialou Beach of Municipality of Ierapetra and Myrtos Beach of Municipality of Ierapetra.
Three beaches on the island of Naxos and the Halkidiki peninsula in northern Greece also lost their Blue Flag award while the rest are distributed across different parts of the country.
Inspections will continue across all awarded beaches in the country with most of these visits being a surprise.
The programme has warned that if further shortcomings are discovered, more beaches will face a similar fate.
Four Crete beaches have lost their Blue Flag status (Image: Getty)
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Full list of Greek beaches that lost their Blue Flag status:
Akti Schoinias Karavi, Marathona Municipality, P. E. Attica
Coast 1 Limanaki Daskaleio Kerateas/Solo Pino, Municipality of Lavreotiki, P. E. Attica
Akti Psaltos/Mitsis Lindos Memories Resort, Municipality of Rhodes, P.E. Dodecanese
Akti Kallithea, Municipality of Rhodes, P.E. Dodecanese
Akti Mikros Gialos, Municipality of Rhodes, P.E. Dodecanese
Akti Amnisos/Pnoe Breathing Life, Municipality of Hersonissos, P.E. Heraklion
Akti Ermones, Municipality of Central Corfu and Diapontian Islands, P.E. Corfu
Akti Ag. Gordios/La Grotta Verde, Municipality of Central Corfu and Diapontian Islands, P.E. Corfu
Akti Mylos Ormou Korthiou, Municipality of Andros, P.E. Andros
Akti Provatas, Municipality of Milos, P.E. Milos
Akti Kalafatis/Aphrodite Beach Resort, Municipality of Mykonos, P. E. Mykonos
Akti Agia Anna/Maragas, Municipality of Naxos, P.E. Naxos
Akti Agios Georgios, Municipality of Naxos, P.E. Naxos
Akti Agios Prokopios, Municipality of Naxos, P.E. Naxos
Akti Ag. Fokas/Marathia, Municipality of Tinos, PE Tinos
Akti Ierapetra 1/Dimotiki, Municipality of Ierapetra, P.E. Lasithi
Akti Koinotiki Plaz Makrygialou, Municipality of Ierapetra, PE Lasithi
Akti Myrtos, Municipality of Ierapetra, PE Lasithi
Akti Mega Ammos (Rock), Municipality of Preveza, P.E. Preveza
Akti Koutloumousiou, Municipality of Sithonia, P.E. Halkidiki
2 Akti Nea Roda, Municipality of Aristoteli, PE Halkidiki
Akti Ouranoupolis 1/Xenia Ouranoupolis, Municipality of Aristoteli, P.E. Halkidiki