20 killed in Greece wildfire

International Desk: Forest fires raging across Greece have killed at least 20 people, the government says, as the authorities there seek international assistance.

Hundreds of firefighters are battling the blazes and people have left their homes near the capital, Athens.

A search and rescue operation is underway for 10 tourists who fled one of the fires in a boat, officials say.

"We will do whatever is humanly possible to control it," Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras told reporters.

He cut short an official trip to Bosnia in order to help coordinate the response to the situation, which firefighters have described as "extremely difficult".

Early on Tuesday government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos confirmed that the death toll had risen to 20.

Most of the victims were trapped in the seaside resort of Mati, 40km (25 miles) north-east of Athens, and died either in their homes or their cars.

More than 104 are injured, 11 seriously, he added, with 16 children among the casualties.
Prime Minister Tsipras said that "all emergency forces have been mobilised" and declared a state of emergency in the Attica region around Athens.

The government has asked other European countries for helicopters and additional firefighters to help tackle the fires.

Earlier on Monday, residents of a coastal region near Athens were told to abandon their homes as the uncontrolled fires spread. Hundreds of children were also evacuated from holiday camps.

The extreme weather comes as dozens of wildfires continue to rage in Sweden.

Countries including Italy, Germany, Poland and France have all sent help in the form of additional planes, vehicles and firefighters.

But with temperatures set to soar again, they are in a race against time to get the fires under control.

Source: BBC


risingbd/July 24, 2018/Mukul