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| Greece wildfires: dozens dead as holiday resort devastated | Greece wildfires: dozens dead as holiday resort devastated |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| At least 49 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, the Greek fire department has said. | At least 49 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, the Greek fire department has 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. |
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| “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. |
| Greece has also 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 are expected from Spain. | Greece has also 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 are expected from Spain. |
| By dawn on Tuesday, fires were still burning around the capital, while others broke out elsewhere during the night. | By dawn on Tuesday, fires were still burning around the capital, while others broke out elsewhere during the night. |
| 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 government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos 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 government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos 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 have been taken to hospital. Eleven of the adults are in a serious condition. | The fire department said that 156 adults and 16 children have been taken to hospital. Eleven of the adults are in a serious condition. |
| 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. | 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. | 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. |
| 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). |
| Authorities deployed firefighters and equipment from across Greece to deal with a separate 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 a separate 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
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