EU aid workers arrive in Greece to fight fires NOW

The group Tuesday is composed of 64 people from Cyprus, said a spokesman for the European Commission. The Greek authorities have appealed to the European Union's civil protection program because of fires in Athens

Several countries have announced their support, including Spain, Bulgaria, Italy, Croatia and Portugal. They were willing to send firefighters and medical personnel, among other things.

Firefighters and volunteers fight the fire since Monday. The Mati fire, about thirty kilometers east of the capital of Athens, is under control, but it is likely to flare up again.

It is not known yet how the fires started. Local authorities have opened an investigation into the circumstances.

Victims

The fires in Greece have so far killed 74 people. An unknown number of people is still missing. At least 187 people, including 23 children, were injured by fires near Athens. Some of them are seriously injured.

There are no reports yet on Dutch victims. However, some Dutch tourists had to leave their holiday destination to escape the fires.

The ANWB alarm center has received two reports from vacationers whose hotel has been torched. & # 39; & # 39; They were housed in another hotel via their tour operator, according to a spokesman for ANWB

The Foreign Ministry has not yet received any reports about the victims or the requests for help from their compatriots. On the website of the Red Cross fourteen Dutch people have registered to show their friends or family that they are doing well.

Fatalities

They are the most deadly fires since 2007. In the summer of this year, more than 70 people were killed by forest fires in southern Greece. The country is more likely to struggle with large forest fires due to dry winters and hot summers.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras speaks of a "tragedy" and announced Tuesday three days of national mourning. EU President Donald Tusk said he was deeply saddened by Twitter. "Europe will stand next to our Greek friends in these difficult times." The help of various EU countries is en route. "

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