A large fire southeast of Athens mobilizes more than 260 firefighters. The fires, fussy by violent winds, complicate the intervention and have already cost a person’s life.
While the south of France has undergone devastating fires, Greece also faces the challenge of flames. More than 260 firefighters, supported by 80 trucks and 12 planes, fight for the second consecutive day against a large fire in Keratea, 43 kilometers southeast of Athens. If the flames have weakened, “there are still active homes,” said a spokesperson for firefighters. Dozens of people, including residents of a care center for the elderly, had to be evacuated Friday evening while the fire threatened the seaside resort of Palaia Fokaia, reports 20 minutes this Saturday.
The rescue teams discovered the body of an elderly man in a cabin near Keratea. The day before, two Vietnamese tourists, aged 61 and 65, died on the island of Milos, in the Aegean Sea. According to port police, the woman fell into the water and the man tried to rescue her.
Extreme weather conditions
Strong gusts of wind, up to 74 km/h according to the National Meteorological Service Emy, complicate operations and promote the spread of flames. The authorities remain on maximum alert in the face of the risk that the fire earns other inhabited areas.
Each summer, Greece is affected by violent forest fires, aggravated by drought and high temperatures. The authorities call on the population to be cautious, while the tourist season is in full swing and the weather conditions remain unfavorable.
Posted on August 9 at 11:40 am, Noah Sdiri, 6medias