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Greece wildfires: scores dead as holiday resort devastated Greece wildfires: scores dead as holiday resort devastated
(35 minutes later)
At least 74 people have been killed and scores injured and more than 700 survivors have been rescued from the sea after a wildfire swept through a small resort town near Athens. The worst wildfire to hit Greece in over a decade tore through a small resort town near Athens on Monday afternoon, killing at least 74 people, injuring almost 200 and forcing hundreds more to rush on to beaches and into the sea as the blaze devoured houses and cars.
Huge flames trapped families with children as they tried to flee from Mati, 18 miles (29km) east of the Greek capital, on Monday afternoon. Among the dead were 26 people found huddled tightly together close to the beach, a Red Cross official said on Tuesday morning. Huge, fast-moving flames trapped families with children as they tried to flee from Mati, 18 miles (29km) east of the Greek capital. Among the dead were 26 people whose bodies were found huddled tightly together close to the beach, a Red Cross official said on Tuesday morning.
It was by far the country’s worst fire since blazes raged across the southern Peloponnese peninsula in August 2007, killing dozens. It was the country’s deadliest fire since blazes raged across the southern Peloponnese peninsula in August 2007, killing dozens of people.
The Greek prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, said a state of emergency had been declared in the Attica region, which includes Athens, and ordered three days of national mourning.
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.
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“Greece is going through an unspeakable tragedy,” the prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, said as he appeared on television to declare three days of national mourning. “Greece is going through an unspeakable tragedy,” he said, adding: “We mustn’t let mourning overwhelm us, because these hours are hours of battle, unity, courage and above all solidarity.”
Greece has invoked EU civil protection agreements to seek help. A military transport plane with 60 firefighters onboard flew out of Cyprus, and two water-dropping planes left Spain at dawn on Tuesday. Turkey, Israel and Italy offered to send planes and helicopters. As Greece tried to come to terms with what one civil protection agency official described as “a national tragedy”, the country activated an EU agreement to request help from fellow member states.
One civil protection agency official described the situation as “a national tragedy”. A military transport plane with 60 firefighters on board flew out of Cyprus, Spain dispatched two water-dropping planes and other countries, including Turkey, Israel and Italy, offered to send planes and helicopters.
The 26 who died on the beach “had tried to find an escape route but didn’t make it in time,” Nikos Economopoulos, the head of Greece’s Red Cross, told the country’s Skai TV. Other witnesses said they had seen several bodies in the area. “Europe will stand by our Greek friends in these difficult times,” tweeted Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council. “Help is on its way from several EU countries.”
A fire brigade spokesman said at least 74 people had died. The toll was expected to rise as rescue crews search through the charred remains of houses. Details of the fates of some of those who had perished emerged as Tuesday wore on.
The government said at least 172 people were hurt, including 16 children, and 11 adults were in a serious condition. The 26 who died close to the beach “had tried to find an escape route but didn’t make it in time,” Nikos Economopoulos, the head of Greece’s Red Cross, told the country’s Skai TV. “Instinctively, seeing the end nearing, they embraced.”
The Greek coastguard said the bodies of four people were retrieved from the sea off Mati. The coastguard and other vessels rescued 696 people who had fled to beaches. Boats pulled another 19 people alive from the sea. A fire brigade spokesman said at least 74 people had died. The toll was expected to rise as rescue crews searched through the charred remains of houses.
The government said at least 172 people were hurt, including 16 children, and 11 adults were in a serious condition. The Greek coastguard said the bodies of four people were retrieved from the sea off Mati.
But there were also stories of remarkable rescues: coastguards and others saved 696 people who had fled to beaches, while boats pulled another 19 people alive from the sea.
The town they had left behind had been gutted. Many hours after the blaze broke out, the strong smell of charred buildings and trees lingered in the air. White smoke rose from smouldering fires.
“Mati doesn’t even exist as a settlement any more,” one woman told Skai TV. “I saw corpses, burnt-out cars. I feel lucky to be alive.”“Mati doesn’t even exist as a settlement any more,” one woman told Skai TV. “I saw corpses, burnt-out cars. I feel lucky to be alive.”
Many hours after the blaze broke out, the strong smell of charred buildings and trees lingered in the air. White smoke rose from smouldering fires.
Mati is in the Rafina region, which is popular with local tourists, particularly older people and children at holiday camps.Mati is in the Rafina region, which is popular with local tourists, particularly older people 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 were mobilised to help people stuck in Rafina harbour. Police said they found two Danish tourists in a boat off the Rafina coast. Another eight people from the group were missing.Nine coastal patrol boats, two military vessels and dozens of private boats were mobilised to help people stuck in Rafina harbour. Police said they found two Danish tourists in a boat off the Rafina coast. Another eight people from the group were missing.
Nikos Stavrinidis said he lost two friends in the waters off Rafina port, after the group he was with sprinted into the sea when they saw the flames approaching. “It happened very fast. The fire was in the distance, then sparks from the fire reached us. Then the fire was all around us,” he told AP. “The wind was indescribable, it was incredible. I’ve never seen anything like this before in my life.” Nikos Stavrinidis said he had lost two friends in the waters off Rafina port, after the group he was with sprinted into the sea when they saw the flames approaching.
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 coastguard,” he said. “All are working in emergency coordination and we will continue for as long as it takes.” “It happened very fast,” he told the Associated Press. “The fire was in the distance, then sparks from the fire reached us. Then the fire was all around us. The wind was indescribable.”
Stratikopoulos said it was too early to speculate on what had caused the fires, but he rejected suggestions that the emergency response had been badly coordinated. Yannis Stratikopoulos of the civil protection agency, said efforts to fight the blazes would continue until they were brought under control. Although he said it was too early to speculate on what had caused the fires, he rejected suggestions that the emergency response had been badly coordinated.
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 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 the capital on a route used daily by tens of thousands of drivers to reach the Peloponnese peninsula. Firefighters and equipment from across Greece were deployed to deal with the blaze at Kineta, a small resort town about 35 miles west of the capital 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 remain 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.” 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.
Strong winds fanned towering walls of flames stretching as wide as four miles near Kineta, local officials said. Dozens of homes are 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 ferocity of the fires and focused on the blazes around Kineta when another much greater inferno was raging in the eastern resort area.
There was criticism of the rescue operation on Tuesday as locals in and around Mati claimed officials had misjudged the ferocity of the fires and focused on the blazes around Kineta when another much greater inferno was raging in the eastern resort area. One resident, identified as Christina, told Thema 104.6 radio that the authorities had been 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.
One resident, identified as Christina, told Thema 104.6 radio that authorities had been 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. Almost 50 brush and forest fires broke out across Greece on Monday and early Tuesday, with most of them quickly extinguished, the fire department said. Ten were still burning late on Tuesday morning, including blazes in Corinth, Crete and in central and northern Greece.
Almost 50 brush and forest fires broke out across Greece on Monday and early Tuesday, most of which were quickly extinguished, the fire department said. Ten were still burning late on Tuesday morning, including blazes in Corinth, Crete and in central and northern Greece. 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. However, heavy rain was forecast across southern Greece on Wednesday.
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. Heavy rain is forecast across southern Greece on Wednesday.
GreeceGreece
WildfiresWildfires
EuropeEurope
Natural disasters and extreme weatherNatural disasters and extreme weather
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