Two dead and evacuation under way as fires break out on Greek island
Nearly 200 firefighters are trying to keep the two fires on Salamina apart, Greek media report.
Two people have lost their lives and an evacuation is underway following the simultaneous ignition of two fires on the Greek island of Salamina, according to Greek media reports. Fire officials have alerted that approximately 200 firefighters are working tirelessly to control the flames and prevent them from merging, as per Greek news sources.
The first fire was reported at 14:40 local time (12:40 GMT), spreading swiftly due to gusty winds, according to island officials who were already under a high wildfire risk on Sunday. By now, 90 individuals have been evacuated via sea, as per a coastguard spokesperson speaking to Greek broadcaster ERT. Five patrol boats have been dispatched to the region, with additional private vessels being made available for assistance, the spokesman added.
A significant number of aircraft and 50 fire engines have been deployed to tackle the blaze. Salamina, which lies just west of Athens and is home to around 37,000 residents, many of whom are elderly, is currently under evacuation. Deputy Mayor Thodoris Zannis informed that firefighters are striving to avert the fires from ascending a mountain on the island and amalgamating into a single, massive wildfire.
This incident is part of a broader series of wildfires that European firefighters have been battling this weekend, exacerbated by soaring temperatures.
Written by urgent.news from BBC World's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
