ATHENS -- The number of killed in the devastating fires near
Athens was revised upward to 74 on Tuesday afternoon, while the search for more
victims continued in Attica's eastern coast, Greek national news agency AMNA
reported.
The number of injured stood at 187, according to the latest official
announcement by the fire brigade press spokesperson Stavroula Mallidi.
A still unclear number of persons was missing.
Earlier, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras called for three days of
national mourning, pledging that the victims will not be forgotten and
fire-stricken survivors will not be left without help.
The country faces since Monday one of the deadliest blazes in more than
a decade.
Most casualties were reported at the seaside resorts of Neos Voutzas
and Mati, some 35 kilometers east of the Greek capital, as people got trapped
in the flames or drowned while trying to escape by swimming at the sea.
At least 715 persons were transferred to safety to the nearby port of
Rafina by dozens of Greek Coast Guard vessels and private boats, authorities
said.
Some 1,000 houses and 300 cars have been destroyed, according to
initial estimates by local authorities.
Eastern Attica has been declared in state of emergency as well as
western Attica, where a large fire also burnt a pine forest and dozens of homes
near the resort town of Kineta, 50 kilometers west of Athens.
A third blaze at Kalamos resort town to the north which broke seven
hours after the first fire at Kineta, also forced hundreds of people to flee
their homes.
All blazes were partially put under control by Tuesday, but
firefighters were still battling flare ups, according to the Fire Service.
At least 47 fires broke out across Greece on Monday and Tuesday, the
Fire Service said.
The Greek government has raised questions about arson, as fires started
in many sites in parallel as winds reaching up to 9 on the Beaufort scale were
blowing in the area.
Greece has received messages of condolences and offers of support to
address the crisis from across the globe, the government said.
Meanwhile Greek citizens were responding to the pleas of authorities to
donate blood for the injured and collect emergency supplies, such as medicines,
baby milk, packaged food products and bottled water. (Xinhua)
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