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Athens (APA / dpa / AFP) – More than 20 people died in forest fires in Greece. Government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos said Tuesday night. At least 104 people were injured, including 11 seriously. According to the spokesman, there were 16 children
According to the spokesman, the majority of the victims were around the seaside resort of Mati, 40 kilometers northeast of Athens. People have been trapped by flames in their homes or cars.
Local television reporters reported that the number of victims would increase significantly as more and more charred bodies were discovered in various locations in eastern Athens. In Greater Athens, the state of emergency has been declared.
Reporters from the Skai news channel reported that in one house the bodies of two women and their children had been found. "Women have hugged their children in despair to protect them from the flames," a station reporter said. The body of another infant was discovered. The fire department wanted to make a balance in the morning. The information on tourists among the victims was not available initially.
In the port city of Rafina, the flames penetrated into the city center. Thousands of people have fled the area. Hundreds escaped the flames in the sea. For hours, fishermen and pbading ships took people out of the water. In the port of Rafina, dozens of people showed pictures of their relatives and asked pbaders-by if they saw them.
The fires were so thick that clouds of smoke hovered over Athens and obscured the sun. Thousands of Athenians have their apartments in the western and eastern region of the capital. Several mayors told the press that more than 200 homes and hundreds of cars had been destroyed or damaged in East Athens
"The worst case scenario has happened," said on television. Head of Greek Civil Defense Giannis Kapakis. The flames raged in a densely wooded area of pines, where there are holiday homes everywhere. Many residents fled in panic, and several children's camps had to be evacuated. Electricity, telephone and internet dropped in some areas. Due to the strong smoke formation, the highway and the railway line between Athens and Corinth were closed.
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras prematurely interrupted a visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina and returned to Athens. "My thoughts are with people and forces," he told Greek TV channel ERT. He expressed the suspicion that the arsonists might be behind the fires. Tsipras has ordered that the fire departments of other regions and the military come to Athens to help, as reported by the state radio. In addition, Greece has asked for help from other EU countries, a spokesman for the fire department said Monday night.
Currently, temperatures in Greece are about 40 degrees. In addition, wind gusts of magnitude 7 are blowing in the affected area. For the firefighters, the volunteers and the military are exasperated to have to fight the flames at night without the help of planes and helicopters.
Forest fires are not uncommon during the hot summer months in Greece. In 2007, 77 people were killed.
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