At least 74 killed by forest fires near Athens

MATI, Greece | At least 74 people were killed by forest fires that swept through a resort, trapping people in cars and at the edge of the cliffs, while others were forced to jump to survive

. The magnitude of Monday night's devastation at Mati became apparent at the first glimmerings of Tuesday

Dozens of ripped cars lined with streets in the coastal city, east of Athens, melted by the intensity of the heat. In one area, a group of 26 people were found dead – some were hugged in an embrace when the flames closed.

The group, which included children, was found near the top of a cliff overlooking a beach. They were found there after apparently looking for an escape route

"Instinctively, seeing the close end, they kissed each other," the head of the Greek Red Cross, Nikos Economopoulos, told Skai TV.
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The lucky ones managed to jump cliffs to survive, or to throw themselves into the sea.

"We went into the sea because the flames pursued us until the end of the day. ;water. He burned his back and we plunged into the water, "said Kostas Laganos, a middle-aged survivor.

He likened the ordeal to the destruction of the city of Pompeii , where thousands of people were cremated by the Vesuvius volcano .. 79 AD "I said 'my God, we have to run to save ourselves and nothing else'. "

At least 74 people were killed, a spokesman for the fire department said, and the death toll is expected to rise.Police said two of its citizens, a mother and son, were among the victims

It is unclear how many people remained unaware of the boats that raked the beaches for the remaining survivors

Residents, faces blackened by smoke, wandered the streets, some were looking for their cars burned, others for their pets. The strange silence was pierced by helicopters fighting the fire and the murmur of rescue teams. There were yellow body bags in several areas.

Many people in the area had been unable to escape the fast pace of the fire, even if they were a few meters from the Aegean Sea or in their homes . ] A Reuters photographer saw at least four people on a narrow road obstructed by cars heading for a beach.

It was believed that one of the youngest victims was a six-month-old baby who died of smoke inhalation. At least 187 people were injured, according to the authorities, among these 23 children

"Greece is going through an indescribable tragedy," said Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras while he appeared on television to declare three days of National mourning. Greece is experiencing one of its most difficult moments, "he said." There is absolutely no word to describe what we are feeling now. "

Flags at the top of the ancient hill of the Acropolis and parliament at half mast

Hell was considered the most deadly of Greece, which ravaged the southern Peloponnese peninsula for several days in August 2007, killing Dozens

Tuesday afternoon, Mati's fire was contained, but the risk was still to rekindle it in the scrubland dried up by the scorching heat of summer, which is not uncommon in Greece. , and a relatively dry winter and a hot summer have helped to create the current conditions of tinder.The cause of the current fire was not clear immediately and an Athens prosecutor has ordered an investigation on it.

Mati is a popular place for Greek vacationers, especially retirees and the kids in the summer camps. One of the missing persons included a woman with multiple sclerosis, dragged out of her chair by her frantic husband as the flames closed, but lost in the chaos that ensued

Firefighters urged residents to report missing relatives and friends. Some took Twitter and Facebook, posting pictures of young children and older couples that they hoped to find.

Greece has launched an urgent appeal to help fight fires in several parts of the country, destroying homes and disrupting Cyprus, Spain, Italy, Croatia and the country. Portugal offered badistance after Greece declared that it needed air and land badets from partners of the European Union [

]. "Our thoughts are with Greece and the victims of the terrible fires," French President Emmanuel Macron said in tweets published in French and Greek

. Pope Francis said in a telegram that he was deeply saddened by the tragedy. victims and their families.