France is currently battling the country’s largest wildfire in 80 years in the Aude region in the south of the country near the Spanish border. The second day of the blaze is spreading rapidly, covering an area larger than Paris.
According to the local prefecture, one person has died in the village of Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, located around 30 kilometres from Perpignan. The wildfire has swept through villages and forested areas, destroying at least 25 homes and prompting the evacuation of both residents and tourists to safer areas. Several roads in the region have been closed.
Prime Minister François Bayrou, speaking in Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, described the incident as a “breathtakingly vast tragedy.”
“The disaster is a disaster of unprecedented scale,” Bayrou told journalists during a visit of the affected town, adding that an investigation on the cause of the blaze was ongoing.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau stated that the fire has so far destroyed more than 15,000 hectares of land – equivalent to the total area burned in recent years by wildfires across France. He added that this is the largest area affected by a wildfire in the country since 1949.
The prefecture reported that the fire is spreading rapidly, with approximately 2,000 firefighters mobilised to contain the blaze. As a result of the fire, more than 2,500 homes in the region are without electricity.
Fire service spokesperson Éric Brocardi told RTL radio that the fire is advancing at a speed of 5.5 kilometres per hour (around 3.4 miles per hour).
Scientists say the Mediterranean region's hotter, drier summers put it at high risk of wildfires. Once fires start, plentiful dry vegetation and strong winds in the region can cause them to spread rapidly and burn out of control.
“Today's event is linked to global warming and drought. We need to think about this with local elected officials and professional leader… We need to think about what tomorrow might bring," Bayrou said.
Russia's health watchdog said on Tuesday that no cases of plague had b...
An Azerbaijani citizen died and another is missing after a cargo ship was attacked by a drone in the Black Sea, near the coast of Romania on Monday...
Azerbaijan is seeking to attract more European visitors by improving air connectivity and raising its profile as an international tourism des...
Australian counterterrorism authorities are examining the links of the co-pilot accused of attacking the captain and attempting to take control of a flydubai flight bound for Israel. Authorities in New Zealand have also said they are investigating reports the suspect had spent time in that country.
Russia's health watchdog said on Tuesday that no cases of plague had been detected among anyone who had come into contact with a Siberian plague institute laboratory worker who died last week, and locals said their lives had barely been disrupted.
Right-wing Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro will face leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in a runoff of the presidential election later this month, after he exceeded expectations in Sunday's first-round vote with a slight lead over the incumbent.
Candidates elected to Bosnia and Herzegovina's three-member presidency declared victory after preliminary unofficial results showed Denis Becirovic leading the Bosniak seat, Darijana Filipovic ahead in the Croat seat and Zeljka Cvijanovic likely retaining the Serb seat.
An Azerbaijani citizen died and another is missing after a cargo ship was attacked by a drone in the Black Sea, near the coast of Romania on Monday, 5 October, Baku's Foreign Ministry has said.
Russia's health watchdog said on Tuesday that no cases of plague had been detected among anyone who had come into contact with a Siberian plague institute laboratory worker who died last week, and locals said their lives had barely been disrupted.
Space-agency chiefs and industry leaders met to discuss lunar exploration, satellite networks and orbital security on Tuesday as a major global space congress entered its second day.
Police fired tear gas at protesters blockading French high schools on Tuesday as students, teachers and parents took to the streets on the biggest day of action in a wave of demonstrations against understaffed and dilapidated classrooms.
A large Ukrainian drone attack on Moscow and the surrounding region has killed two people, damaged homes and sparked a major fire at a key fuel facility, according to Russian officials and military bloggers.
Kenya has confirmed its first case of Ebola after a Kenyan citizen who had travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) died in Nairobi, prompting health authorities to launch an urgent contact-tracing operation.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment