Firefighters are tackling multiple wildfires across Greece, with blazes threatening towns near western city of Patras and on the islands of Chios and Zakynthos, forcing thousands of residents and tourists to evacuate from their homes.
The blazes began on Tuesday, and have destroyed homes, farmland and industrial sites, according to authorities.
Public broadcaster ERT reported dozens of hospitalisations from smoke inhalation, while 13 firefighters have been treated for burns and other injuries.
Nearly 5,000 firefighters and 33 aircraft have been deployed since early Wednesday to contain the spread. Authorities have said that hot, dry conditions and strong winds have complicated the response, with temperatures forecast to reach 34°C (93°F) in some regions.
In Patras, flames reached a cement factory after sweeping through olive groves and forests, disrupting nearby rail services.
“It looks like doomsday,” said volunteer firefighter Giorgos Karavanis, who travelled from Athens to assist.
Evacuation alerts were issued for a town of 7,700 people near Patras and for two nearby villages. On Chios, the coast guard evacuated people by boat as the fire advanced to the shoreline.
The crisis in Greece follows a string of wildfires across southern Europe amid a summer heatwave. Spain, Portugal, Türkiye and the Balkans have faced similar conditions, with Albania and Montenegro reporting widespread property losses in the past week.
Venezuela’s oil shipments have plunged following the United States’ seizure of a tanker earlier this week....
The Kremlin on Friday dismissed proposals for a ceasefire to allow a territorial referendum in Ukraine, describing any pause in hostilities as a tacti...
A new batch of photographs from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate has been released by the House Oversight Committee, shedding light on the financier’s con...
The European Union has announced plans to indefinitely freeze Russian assets held within the bloc, in a move aimed at ensuring up to $246 billion in R...
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian President Vladimir Putin met for a closed-door discussion on the sidelines of the International Fo...
Venezuela’s oil shipments have plunged following the United States’ seizure of a tanker earlier this week.
The Kremlin on Friday dismissed proposals for a ceasefire to allow a territorial referendum in Ukraine, describing any pause in hostilities as a tactical ploy rather than a genuine step toward ending the conflict.
A new batch of photographs from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate has been released by the House Oversight Committee, shedding light on the financier’s connections with prominent political, business, and cultural figures.
The European Union has announced plans to indefinitely freeze Russian assets held within the bloc, in a move aimed at ensuring up to $246 billion in Russian funds remain in EU jurisdictions, officials said on Friday.
Japan has lifted a tsunami advisory issued after an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9 hit the country's northeastern region on Friday (12 December), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said. The JMA had earlier put the earthquake's preliminary magnitude at 6.7.
The United States issued new sanctions targeting Venezuela on Thursday, imposing curbs on three nephews of President Nicolas Maduro's wife, as well as six crude oil tankers and shipping companies linked to them, as Washington ramps up pressure on Caracas.
Iran is preparing to host a multilateral regional meeting next week in a bid to mediate between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Kyiv has escalated its naval campaign against Moscow’s economic lifelines, claiming a successful strike on a vessel suspected of skirting international sanctions within the Black Sea.
An extratropical cyclone has caused widespread disruption across Brazil’s São Paulo state, with powerful winds toppling trees and power lines, blocking streets and leaving large parts of the region without electricity.
Türkiye’s Trade Minister Omer Bolat said Friday that discussions in Washington with U.S. officials have strengthened efforts to expand bilateral trade, moving closer to a $100 billion target.
Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif held talks on Friday during the International Peace and Trust Forum in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, focusing on bilateral relations as well as regional and global issues
Hungary has strongly criticised NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s warning that Russia could be capable of attacking the alliance within five years, with Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó describing the remarks as irresponsible and dangerous.
China’s Ministry of Commerce announced on Friday that it will introduce a licensing system for steel exports starting in 2026, covering around 300 steel products.
Venezuela’s oil shipments have plunged following the United States’ seizure of a tanker earlier this week.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment