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| Greece wildfires: dozens dead as holiday resort devastated | Greece wildfires: dozens dead as holiday resort devastated |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| At least 50 people have been killed, scores more injured and almost 700 others rescued from the sea after a devastating wildfire swept through a small resort town near Athens, authorities in Greece have said. | At least 50 people have been killed, scores more injured and almost 700 others rescued from the sea after a devastating wildfire swept through a small resort town near Athens, authorities in Greece have said. |
| Huge flames trapped families with children as they tried to flee from Mati, 18 miles (29km) east of the Greek capital, where the blaze hit on Monday afternoon. It was by far the country’s worst fire since blazes raged across the southern Peloponnese peninsula in August 2007, killing dozens. | Huge flames trapped families with children as they tried to flee from Mati, 18 miles (29km) east of the Greek capital, where the blaze hit on Monday afternoon. It was by far the country’s worst fire since blazes raged across the southern Peloponnese peninsula in August 2007, killing dozens. |
| Whether you live in the area, are visiting or work as a firefighter, police officer or emergency services worker we’d like to hear from you. | Whether you live in the area, are visiting or work as a firefighter, police officer or emergency services worker we’d like to hear from you. |
| You can share your experiences by filling in this encrypted form – anonymously if you wish. One of our journalists may be in touch and we will consider some of your responses in our reporting. You can read terms of service here. | You can share your experiences by filling in this encrypted form – anonymously if you wish. One of our journalists may be in touch and we will consider some of your responses in our reporting. You can read terms of service here. |
| Though we’d like to hear from you, your safety and security is most important. When responding please make sure you put your safety and the safety of others first. Extreme weather events can be very unpredictable and carry very real risks. | Though we’d like to hear from you, your safety and security is most important. When responding please make sure you put your safety and the safety of others first. Extreme weather events can be very unpredictable and carry very real risks. |
| “We will do whatever is humanly possible to control it,” the prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, told reporters, adding that a state of emergency had been declared in the Attica region – which includes Athens – and that “all emergency forces” had been mobilised. | “We will do whatever is humanly possible to control it,” the prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, told reporters, adding that a state of emergency had been declared in the Attica region – which includes Athens – and that “all emergency forces” had been mobilised. |
| Tsipras declared three days of mourning for the dozens killed in Mati but warned the fires were still burning. “We mustn’t let mourning overwhelm us, because these hours are hours of battle, unity, courage and above all solidarity,” he said. | |
| Greece has invoked European Union civil protection agreements to seek help. A military transport plane is due to arrive with 60 firefighters from Cyprus, while two water-dropping planes left Spain at dawn on Tuesday. Turkey and Italy have also offered to send aeroplanes and helicopters. | |
| One civil protection agency official described the situation as “a national tragedy” and reports emerged that 26 people had died as they huddled tightly together close to the beach at Mati. | One civil protection agency official described the situation as “a national tragedy” and reports emerged that 26 people had died as they huddled tightly together close to the beach at Mati. |
| “They had tried to find an escape route but unfortunately these people and their kids didn’t make it in time,” Nikos Economopoulos, head of Greece’s Red Cross, told the country’s Skai TV. Other witnesses said they had also seen several bodies in the area. | “They had tried to find an escape route but unfortunately these people and their kids didn’t make it in time,” Nikos Economopoulos, head of Greece’s Red Cross, told the country’s Skai TV. Other witnesses said they had also seen several bodies in the area. |
| Twenty casualties were reported by the government earlier on Tuesday. One of the youngest victims was thought to be a six-month-old baby who died of smoke inhalation. | Twenty casualties were reported by the government earlier on Tuesday. One of the youngest victims was thought to be a six-month-old baby who died of smoke inhalation. |
| The fire department said that 156 adults and 16 children had been taken to hospital. Eleven of the adults are in a serious condition. | The fire department said that 156 adults and 16 children had been taken to hospital. Eleven of the adults are in a serious condition. |
| The Greek coastguard said the bodies of four people were retrieved from the sea off Mati. In total, the coastguard and other vessels rescued 696 people who had fled to beaches. Boats plucked another 19 people from the sea. | The Greek coastguard said the bodies of four people were retrieved from the sea off Mati. In total, the coastguard and other vessels rescued 696 people who had fled to beaches. Boats plucked another 19 people from the sea. |
| “Mati doesn’t even exist as a settlement anymore,” one woman told Skai TV. “I saw corpses, burned-out cars. I feel lucky to be alive.” | “Mati doesn’t even exist as a settlement anymore,” one woman told Skai TV. “I saw corpses, burned-out cars. I feel lucky to be alive.” |
| Mati is in the Rafina region, which is popular with local tourists, particularly pensioners and children at holiday camps. | Mati is in the Rafina region, which is popular with local tourists, particularly pensioners and children at holiday camps. |
| “I personally saw at least 100 homes in flames,” said Evangelos Bournous, the mayor of the Rafina-Pikermi area. “I saw it with my eyes, it is a total catastrophe.” | “I personally saw at least 100 homes in flames,” said Evangelos Bournous, the mayor of the Rafina-Pikermi area. “I saw it with my eyes, it is a total catastrophe.” |
| Nine coastal patrol boats, two military vessels and dozens of private boats assisted by army helicopters were mobilised to help those stuck in Rafina harbour. Police said they found two Danish tourists in a boat off the coast from Rafina. Another eight people from the group were still missing. | Nine coastal patrol boats, two military vessels and dozens of private boats assisted by army helicopters were mobilised to help those stuck in Rafina harbour. Police said they found two Danish tourists in a boat off the coast from Rafina. Another eight people from the group were still missing. |
| Yannis Stratikopoulos of the civil protection agency said efforts to fight the blazes would continue until they were brought under control. | Yannis Stratikopoulos of the civil protection agency said efforts to fight the blazes would continue until they were brought under control. |
| “Every branch of every force has been mobilised: the fire brigade; the army, the coast guard,” he said. “All are working in emergency coordination and we will continue for as long as it takes.” | “Every branch of every force has been mobilised: the fire brigade; the army, the coast guard,” he said. “All are working in emergency coordination and we will continue for as long as it takes.” |
| Stratikopoulos said it was too early to speculate what had caused the fires, but rejected suggestions that the emergency response had been badly coordinated. | Stratikopoulos said it was too early to speculate what had caused the fires, but rejected suggestions that the emergency response had been badly coordinated. |
| On Monday, Greek authorities had urged residents of a coastal region west of Athens to abandon their homes as another wildfire burned ferociously, closing one of Greece’s busiest motorways, halting train links and sending plumes of smoke over the capital. | On Monday, Greek authorities had urged residents of a coastal region west of Athens to abandon their homes as another wildfire burned ferociously, closing one of Greece’s busiest motorways, halting train links and sending plumes of smoke over the capital. |
| Authorities deployed firefighters and equipment from across Greece to deal with the blaze at Kineta, a small resort town about 35 miles west of Athens on a route used daily by tens of thousands of drivers to reach the Peloponnese peninsula. | Authorities deployed firefighters and equipment from across Greece to deal with the blaze at Kineta, a small resort town about 35 miles west of Athens on a route used daily by tens of thousands of drivers to reach the Peloponnese peninsula. |
| A senior fire chief went on state TV to appeal to people to leave the area after some tried to stay at their properties. | A senior fire chief went on state TV to appeal to people to leave the area after some tried to stay at their properties. |
| “People should leave, close up their homes and just leave. People cannot tolerate so much smoke for so many hours,” Achilleas Tzouvaras said. “This is an extreme situation.” | “People should leave, close up their homes and just leave. People cannot tolerate so much smoke for so many hours,” Achilleas Tzouvaras said. “This is an extreme situation.” |
| Strong winds fanned towering walls of flames stretching as wide as four miles near Kineta, local officials said. Dozens of homes were thought to have been damaged or destroyed by the blaze. Some householders used hosepipes to try to put out the fires while police assisted with the evacuation of some areas. | Strong winds fanned towering walls of flames stretching as wide as four miles near Kineta, local officials said. Dozens of homes were thought to have been damaged or destroyed by the blaze. Some householders used hosepipes to try to put out the fires while police assisted with the evacuation of some areas. |
| Criticism of the rescue operation was mounting on Tuesday, as locals in and around Mati claimed officials had misjudged the sheer ferocity of the fires and focused on the blazes around Kineta when another much greater inferno was engulfing homes, cars and tavernas in the eastern resort area. | Criticism of the rescue operation was mounting on Tuesday, as locals in and around Mati claimed officials had misjudged the sheer ferocity of the fires and focused on the blazes around Kineta when another much greater inferno was engulfing homes, cars and tavernas in the eastern resort area. |
| One resident, identified as Christina, told Thema 104.6 radio that people had met a needless death because authorities had been so badly organised. | One resident, identified as Christina, told Thema 104.6 radio that people had met a needless death because authorities had been so badly organised. |
| “There was no plan. Not a drop of water was thrown on the flames here because they were only concentrated on western Attica. That is why people burned. No one was informed by anyone,” said the woman, who only narrowly escaped the flames she described. | “There was no plan. Not a drop of water was thrown on the flames here because they were only concentrated on western Attica. That is why people burned. No one was informed by anyone,” said the woman, who only narrowly escaped the flames she described. |
| “We were there watching the fire from the first moment. It wasn’t huge. It descended [from the hills] in two hours. It is a lie that it came down in half an hour. There was time but there was no plan. Not even an escape plan. We were saved by a hair’s breadth. I went to some people and we managed to divert the traffic and get to safety.” | “We were there watching the fire from the first moment. It wasn’t huge. It descended [from the hills] in two hours. It is a lie that it came down in half an hour. There was time but there was no plan. Not even an escape plan. We were saved by a hair’s breadth. I went to some people and we managed to divert the traffic and get to safety.” |
| Areas around Athens were like a tinderbox, emergency workers said, after a dry winter and a summer heatwave in which temperatures have risen above 40C (104F). | Areas around Athens were like a tinderbox, emergency workers said, after a dry winter and a summer heatwave in which temperatures have risen above 40C (104F). |
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