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![A firefighter sprays water on the fire of the city of Mati, east of Athens, Monday, July 23, 2018. (AP Photo / Thanbadis Stavrakis) [19659002] A firefighter sprays water on the fire of the city of Mati, east of Athens, Monday, July 23, 2018. (AP Photo / Thanbadis Stavrakis) </figcaption></figure>
<figure clbad=](https://cdn-02.independent.ie/incoming/article37148585.ece/150dc/AUTOCROP/w620/GREECE%20At%2011.jpg)
A forest fire killed at least 50 people and injured more than 150 while he was sweeping a small seaside resort near Athens, with huge flames trapping families with children.
The fire that struck Mati, 29 km east of the capital, Monday afternoon, was by far the worst since the flames devastated the Peloponnese peninsula in August 2007, killing dozens of people. the flames as a forest fire burns in the city of Rafina, near Athens, Greece, July 23, 2018. REUTERS / Costas Baltas "title =" A man watches the flames as a forest fire burns in the Rafina city, near Athens, Greece, 23 July 2018. REUTERS / Costas Baltas "width =" 620 "height =" 414 "/>
The 26 dead add to more than 20 victims reported by government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos earlier on Tuesday. He said that more than 88 adults and 16 children were injured.
One of the youngest victims was a six-month-old baby who died of smoke inhalation.
a narrow road obstructed by cars heading for a nearby beach.
Coastguards later stated that the bodies of four others had been recovered from the sea. In total, the coast guards and other vessels rescued 696 people who had fled to the beaches. Boats ripped 19 more people out of the sea.
Some parts of Mati still covered with white smoke early Tuesday. Burnt cars were scattered outside the closed buildings where the three- and four-storey buildings bore traces of fire damage.
"We are dealing with something completely asymmetrical," Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said.
Greece has launched an urgent call for help to fight the fires that have raged in many parts of the country, destroying homes and disrupting major transportation networks.
Cyprus and Spain offered their help Air and land forces partners of the European Union
The Inferno dominated the country's first pages on Tuesday, with headlines such as that "fire killer" and "hell" and newspapers reporting fears that the death toll would increase. they would use an unmanned drone from the United States on Tuesday to monitor and track any suspicious activity.
Tsipras and Greek officials have expressed doubts that
Forest fires are not uncommon in Greece, and a relatively dry winter has helped create current tinder conditions. It was not immediately clear what ignited the fires.
A flank of houses was emptied by the flames east of Athens. A mayor said he saw at least 100 homes and 200 vehicles on fire.
Earlier Monday, Greek authorities urged residents of a coastal region west of Athens to abandon their homes.
The Athens-Corinth main highway, one of two road routes to the Peloponnese Peninsula, was closed and rail services were canceled.
Read more: Residents flee as two rages of major forest fires near Athens
Reuters
