50 killed in Greece wildfires

ATHENS — Fifty people have died and 170 have been injured in wildfires ravaging woodland and villages in the Athens region as Greek authorities rush to evacuate residents and tourists stranded on beaches along the coast on Tuesday.

The dead included a six-month-old baby, who died of smoke inhalation.

Government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos said in a televised statement that 88 adults and 16 children were injured as the blaze swept through Mati, a village about 29 km east of Athens in the Rafina region, a popular tourist destination.

Greek Navy ships, along with Coast Guard vessels and fishing boats, rushed to the area braving strong winds to help evacuate hundreds of people stranded on beaches.

Survivors who fled to the sea and were rescued told media as they reached the Rafina Port that they had seen charred bodies next to burned homes and cars.

Volunteers carried children in swimsuits and the elderly suffering respiratory problems caused by the smoke on their shoulders. The evacuees burst into tears of relief as they were embraced by relatives waiting anxiously at the port.

Ten Danish tourists who had gone missing were located by the Coast Guard during a search and rescue operation.

The affected areas have been left in the dark due to power cuts after the power lines were damaged. The national highway connecting Attica to the Peloponnese Peninsula and train services have been suspended to prevent motorists getting trapped in the flames that were rapidly changing direction when fanned by strong winds. Xinhua

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