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Hundreds of firefighters have been deployed to battle a major forest fire raging out of control on the outskirts of the Greek capital Athens.
Thousands of residents have fled their homes as the fast-moving blaze fuelled by hot, windy weather burned trees, houses and cars and sent smoke clouds over the Greek capital.
A children’s hospital, a military hospital, two monasteries and a children’s home were evacuated on Monday morning, and emergency alerts continue to be sent out.
Around 600 firefighters, backed by 27 teams specially trained to tackle wildfires and including more than 80 members of the armed forces, are battling the flames.
More than 180 vehicles were deployed, while more than 30 water-dropping planes and helicopters were providing aerial support.
The fire is burning mainly on two separate fronts, with some parts in particularly difficult to reach areas on a mountain northeast of Athens, Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias said.
Authorities were faced with “an exceptionally dangerous fire, which we have been fighting for more than 20 hours under dramatic circumstances,” Mr Kikilias added.
Evacuation orders were issued for more than a dozen areas, including Marathon and several Athens suburbs. Three Athens hospitals were put on heightened alert to treat any potential injuries.
