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Greece wildfires: at least 24 dead as residents urged to flee homes Greece wildfires: dozens dead as holiday resort devastated
(about 1 hour later)
At least 24 people have been killed and more than 100 injured as two forest fires rage out of control near the Greek capital of Athens. Dozens of people have been killed and scores more injured after a wildfire swept through a small resort town near the Greek capital Athens, with huge flames trapping families with children as they fled.
Authorities urged people to abandon their homes on Monday after high winds whipped up the worst fires for more than a decade in two areas either side of the capital, destroying properties and closing the the main motorway west to Corinth. The fire hit Mati, 18 miles (29 km) east of the capital, late on Monday afternoon. It was by far the country’s worst since flames devastated the southern Peloponnese peninsula in August 2007, killing dozens.
The majority of the victims died in their homes or their cars in Mati, a holiday resort 29km (18 miles) north-east of Athens that was devastated by a fast-moving blaze that started at around 5pm local time, government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos said early on Tuesday. “I was briefed by a rescuer that he saw the shocking picture of 26 people tightly huddled in a field some 30 metres from the beach,” Nikos Economopoulos, head of Greece’s Red Cross, told Skai TV. “They had tried to find an escape route but unfortunately these people and their kids didn’t make it in time,” he said. Other witnesses said they also saw several bodies in the area.
He said 88 adults and 16 children were injured, 11 of them seriously. One of the youngest victims was thought to be a six-month-old baby who died of smoke inhalation. The 26 deaths came on top of more than 20 casualties reported by government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos earlier on Tuesday. He said more than 88 adults and 16 children were injured. One of the youngest victims was thought to be a six-month-old baby who died of smoke inhalation.
The coastguard later said the bodies of four people were retrieved from the sea. The Greek government has declared a state of emergency and invoked European Union civil protection agreements to seek help from it EU peers.
On Monday, Greek authorities 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.
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 Greece’s 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 Greece’s 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.
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. “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.”
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.
As darkness fell, the extent of the disaster was impossible to gauge. The country was like a tinderbox, emergency workers said, after a dry winter and a summer heatwave that has seen temperatures above 40C. 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.
“We are dealing with something completely asymmetric,” Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras said after cutting short a visit to Bosnia. “We are dealing with something completely asymmetric,” the Greek prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, said after cutting short a visit to Bosnia.
Greece issued an appeal for help to tackle the fires, saying that it needed air and land assets from its European Union partners. Cyprus and Spain offered assistance. Authorities deployed firefighters and equipment from across Greece to deal with a separate blaze at Kineta, a small resort town about 35 miles (54km) west of Athens on a route used by tens of thousands of driversdaily 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 54km (35 miles) west of Athens on a route used by tens of thousands of drivers daily 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 (6km) 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.
The main Athens to Corinth motorway, one of two road routes to the Peloponnese peninsula, was shut and train services were cancelled.The main Athens to Corinth motorway, one of two road routes to the Peloponnese peninsula, was shut and train services were cancelled.
Raging around the Saronicos gulf, the blaze ravaged tracts of pine forest and was visible for miles. An cloud of black and orange smoke hung over the Acropolis hill and the Parthenon temple in Athens on Monday afternoon.
The inferno was thought to have started in a ravine in mountains overlooking Kineta, which is a popular resort town among Athenians.The inferno was thought to have started in a ravine in mountains overlooking Kineta, which is a popular resort town among Athenians.
East of Athens, live footage showed thick plumes of smoke hanging low over Rafina, which has a population of at least 20,000 and dense vegetation.
“I personally saw at least 100 homes in flames,” said Evangelos Bournous, mayor of the Rafina-Pikermi area. “I saw it with my eyes, it is a total catastrophe.”
Wildfires are common in Greece in summer, but a dry winter has created tinderbox conditions.
Dozens of people died when fires raged for days across the Peloponnese in 2007. Last November, more than 20 people were killed in flash flooding in the area of Mandra near Kineta.Dozens of people died when fires raged for days across the Peloponnese in 2007. Last November, more than 20 people were killed in flash flooding in the area of Mandra near Kineta.
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