Reporting of M.M.
Found yourself 26 charred bodies in the courtyard of a villa near the capital. Farnesina: “There are no untraceable Italians”
E’ at least 74 dead, but they fear it further 100, e 556 injured the dramatic toll of fire blazed up in two large forests that lick Athens. Strong winds are fueling the fires while a heat wave has raised temperatures around 40 degrees. The authorities declared it state of emergency and asked for the help of’Ue. Thousands of people in fuga. The government: “47 fires, It's impossible for them to be random”.
The authorities: “Arson” – “Give her 6 on Monday morning at 6 we recorded on a Tuesday morning 47 fires, all in very close places”. This was reported by Greek government sources according to whom the firefighters and police authorities believe that the triggers were of malicious origin. “Wooded and cultivated lands have burned, one after the other, and this shows that it is impossible to say that fires are random”.
Found 26 charred people in a villa – As reported by the Red Cross, 26 Charred bodies were discovered in the courtyard of a villa in Mati, a 40 kilometers from Athens. In the last few hours the toll has risen to at least 60 victims and beyond 150 injured. This was reported by the mayor of Rafina, Evangelos Bournous. Numerous bodies were found “at home or in cars”, confirmed the Greek government spokesperson, Dimitris Tzanakopoulos.
“Mati like Pompeii, dead mothers and children hugged” – Images of the town of Mati “they recall the macabre scenery of Pompeii: among other things, rescuers found the charred bodies of two dead women hugging their children”. This was reported by the Greek TV channel Skai. Some people, the broadcaster continues on its website, they have “tried to escape the flames by running towards the sea”, but a cliff forced them to turn back to find another escape route, e “they didn't make it”.
Fires Greece, the death toll worsens: village deleted
The testimony: “Mati no longer exists” – “I saw dead bodies, burned cars, I feel lucky to be alive. Mati doesn't even exist as a settlement anymore”. E’ the testimony of a woman who survived the fires on Greek TV Skai, reported by the international media. Mati is a coastal resort town in the Rafina region, about 40 km northeast of Athens.
“The fire was chasing us, escaped into the sea” – “Luckily there is the sea, we escaped into the sea, because the flames were chasing us into the water”. A witness said so, It costs Laganos, escaped the flames in Greece, quoted by the BBC online. The fire “it burned our backs and we dove into the water. I said 'my God, we must run to save ourselves'”. A search and rescue operation at sea, adds the British broadcaster, was launched for 10 tourists who fled the flames by boat.
Five bodies recovered from the sea – Five bodies were recovered from the sea, off the coast of Artemida: it's a man, three women and a child who are presumed drowned to escape the flames. And there is fear for the fate of two Danish tourists, than with other people – all saved – they used a dinghy to escape the fires. They are about 700 the people saved so far by the Greek coast guard.
“There are no untraceable Italians” – The head of the Farnesina crisis unit Stefano Verrecchia said this regarding his compatriots present in the country. An emergency number to call in case of need was also released in a tweet from the Farnesina: +39 06 36225.
The Italian ambassador: “Gruesome scenes” – “We saw gruesome scenes, with at least 12 hours of hell and horror started from the west but then, due to the wind, the greatest damage and victims were recorded on the eastern coasts of Attica”. The Italian ambassador to Greece Efisio Luigi Marras said this, to Rainews24.
Italian tourists: “Locked in the hotel, fiery sky” – “We are safe in the hotel in Athens. Yesterday's flight and’ was canceled and they took us to the hotel. We should leave today. The sky in Athens yesterday was yellow, it looked like a sandstorm, it was the color of fire”. E’ the testimony of Michele D'Ambrosio, former mayor of Santeramo (Bari), who is with other Italians on holiday in Athens, where dozens of people have died due to fires in recent hours.
Conte: “Close to the Greeks, two Canadairs ready” – “Deeply shocked by the deaths of so many people due to the fires in Greece. Italy is rallying around the Greek population and has already taken action by making two Canadair available”. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte wrote it in a tweet.
The two fires touching Athens – A vast fire advances northeast of Athens, nei pressi di Penteli, moving towards the city of Rafina. In nearby Mati the Coast Guard was forced to intervene to evacuate tourists trapped on the beach. A second fire is devastating the pine forests in an area of 50 kilometers west of Athens. The thick smoke, arrived as far as the capital, forced the closure of the main highway connecting with the Peloponnese.
Firefighters in action – Hundreds of firefighters and dozens of vehicles were deployed on the field. Seven firefighting planes and four helicopters try to contain the fires from above. But it's not enough, and Athens asks Brussels for help. The governor of Attica, who proclaimed a state of emergency in the east and west, is making buses and water tankers available to help put out the flames.
Violent fires in Athens: deaths and thousands evacuated
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Thousands of evacuations – Thousands of people fled, dozens of cars destroyed and houses burned. “The fire rages relentlessly, We appeal to residents to head to Corinth to protect themselves and their children”, is the dramatic appeal of the deputy mayor of Megara, which is located near Kineta, where the flames advance with greater speed due to strong winds. “People cry, he shouts into the phone, while parked cars burn and sirens sound everywhere. The air is scorching, the flames are close”, is the dramatic testimony of a reporter near Rafina, not far from Penteli, epicenter of the fire. The survivors were transferred to hotels and military camps, while many worried relatives are arriving in Rafina to check the presence of their loved ones among them.
Asked for help from Europe – Greece activated the European Civil Protection Mechanism to get help from its partners. The government spokesperson recalled among other things that there have been “15 simultaneous outbreaks on three different fronts in Attica”, who recommended the request for drones from the United States, “to observe and detect any activity’ suspicious”. Considering the situation, The Presidency of the Republic has canceled the annual reception scheduled for today to commemorate the return to democracy in Greece in July 1974. Prime minister Alexis Tsipras, on your part, he quickly returned from a trip to Bosnia to follow the operations. According to Tsipras, “more than 600 firefighters” they are busy on fires, powered by winds up to more than 100 kilometers per hour, particularly in Mati and Kineta, west of Attica. Tsipras urged people in high-risk areas to “remember that the most precious asset is life” and not to try to protect their property with their lives.
Macedonia offers 100 thousand euros to Greece – Macedonia offered 6 millions of dinars, equal to approximately 100 thousand euros, to help Greece fight the fires that have killed over 75 people people near Athens. Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev announced it via Twitter, specifying that the money will be available to Greek institutions. The Skopje government will also establish a special body to monitor the situation and coordinate humanitarian assistance.
Greece, violent fires near Athens: the photos taken by fleeing tourists
