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Fires threaten Athens/ Thousands of people are evacuated

2024-08-12 17:09:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Thousands of people living around Athens were evacuated on Monday, August 12, including from the historic town of Marathon, as a huge fire approached the Greek capital despite "superhuman" efforts to bring it under control, officials said.

Authorities have ordered at least five more communities to be evacuated and two hospitals northeast of Athens, after earlier ordering the evacuation of residents from eight villages, including Marathon, on Sunday.

The chairman of the Marathon, Stregios Tsirkas, said that the town, from which the long-distance running race takes its name, is facing a "biblical disaster".

A wall of flame 30 kilometers long, and in some places up to 25 meters high, is moving towards Athens, according to public broadcaster ERT.

Eight people have been hospitalized after breathing problems and authorities have opened the Olympic Stadium in northern Athens to accommodate evacuees.

"Civil defense forces have been working throughout the night and despite superhuman efforts, the fire has spread rapidly," said fire brigade spokesman Vassilis Vathrakogiannis.

The destruction caused by the fire brings to mind the July 2018 fire in Mati, when 104 people died. For this tragedy, it was later said that the fault was because evacuation orders were issued late.

This summer's fire season in Greece has caused dozens of fires on a daily basis, as the country has recorded its hottest winter and hottest June and July since data began to be collected in 1960.

Temperatures around Athens are expected to reach 39 degrees Celsius on Monday, as winds will blow up to 50 kilometers per hour.

More than 670 firefighters with 183 vehicles and 32 aircraft have been engaged to extinguish the fires.

A day earlier, Civil Defense Minister Vassilis Kikilias said the state is at high risk due to high temperatures, strong winds and severe drought.

Scientists have said that fossil fuel emissions are exacerbating the length, frequency and intensity of heat waves around the world.

Other parts of the world are also facing fires, as some parts of Europe will face high temperatures this week./ REL