Six die as fire races through southern Greece

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

ATHENS, Aug 24 (Reuters) At least six people died and thousands of acres of forest were consumed in blazes racing through Greece's southern Peloponnese today, causing one small town to be evacuated, officials said.

Firefighters were also battling two fires along the coast near Athens which were threatening homes.

Four people were found dead near a hotel north of the town of Areopolis, around 300 km south of Athens, and two firefighters also died, the fire brigade and police said.

''There are now six victims. Two of them are firefighters,'' a police source told Reuters. The source said it was not clear whether the other four were locals or tourists.

The government called a state of emergency for the provinces of Lakonia and Messinia as the blazes, fanned by strong winds, hampered firefighting efforts of airplanes and helicopters.

Police said it was sending officers to help out as well as several buses to assist in the evacuation of Areopolis and the nearby villages.

Greece has seen some of the worst fires of the past decade this summer, caused by record-high temperatures, drought and arsonists.

The blazes started yesterday and early today north of the town and spread quickly, forcing local officials to start evacuating it.

The fire brigade deployed dozens of firetrucks, six aircraft and seven helicopters but it was unclear how many were operating above the flames due to adverse weather conditions.

Greece's weather service said the winds were expected to weaken late in the evening.

Other firefighters were attacking smaller fires near the towns of Elefsina to the west of the capital and Lagonissi, some 20 km east of Athens, with two airplanes and two helicopters.

Fire brigade spokesman Nikos Diamantis said the Elefsina blaze was not yet threatening nearby major factories.

Dozens of other fires broke out today across the country as winds picked up after a three-day heatwave that saw temperatures rise to 41 degrees Celcius (106 F).

REUTERS PD VC1935

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