Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Wildfires Kill at Least 74 Near Athens, Greece; Rage on Seaside Resorts, Fueled by Gail Winds

Wildfires raged through seaside resorts near the Greek capital of Athens today (July 24, 2018), torching homes, cars and forests as they killed at least 74 people, according to the CBS News website.

Twenty-six of the dead were found huddled together in a compound, while some bodies were recovered from the sea where they had fled to escape the flames and smoke. Most of the casualties appeared to have occurred in Rafina, a beach resort just northeast of Athens.

Greece endures wildfires every summer, but the fires that broke out yesterday were the deadliest to hit the country since 2007. Fueled by gale-force winds, they trapped hundreds of people on beaches, roads, and homes.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras declared three days of national mourning. There were fears the death toll could rise even further, as there was no definitive count of how many people were missing.

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