
Person found dead in a car as a wildfire forces the evacuation of a dozen villages in Cyprus
Police confirmed to The Associated Press that the individual's death appeared to have been caused by the fire which continues to uncontrollably over a number of fronts and is visible from the coastal resort town of Limassol.
Investigators are on the scene but police did not release any additional details about the victim.
The Cyprus Interior Ministry issued instructions for the immediate evacuation of villages along a 14-kilometer (8.7 mile) stretch of mountainous terrain. Children from at least one camping ground near the village of Lofou were also evacuated. Media reports showed some gutted homes smoldering as the flames swept through the outskirts of some villages. Images broadcast on media showed flames consuming trees, brush and other vegetation along a huge front burning bright orange against the backdrop of a nighttime sky.
Police blocked road access to the fire-afflicted communities while some villagers were reportedly reluctant to flee their homes.
Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides sped to a fire fighting coordination center in the village of Ayios Efraim to be briefed on efforts to contain the blaze as crews struggled because of very windy conditions that quickly shifted the flames' direction.
Christodoulides said more than 250 firefighters from across the island nation are at the front and expressed hope that winds would die down overnight according to a Weather Service forecast.
'I want to make a public appeal to all, I completely understand the issue with property, but people must follow the instructions from those who know best and evacuate their homes,' the Cypriot president said. He wouldn't say how large the fire is or offer any information about how it started, insisting that 'now is not the time.'
Government spokesman Constantinos Letymbiotis said that Spain would be sending two fire fighting aircraft Thursday morning to assist local crews. Some 13 aircraft had been fighting the blaze until sundown and will resume their work at first light. Jordan is helping with two of its own helicopters that had been deployed in Cyprus for firefighting needs. An RAF Chinook helicopter that operates from one of two British Bases on Cyprus is also assisting.
Limassol Municipality and the local soccer club Apollonas offered apartments and a basketball court respectively to temporarily house evacuees.
Cyprus has been on high alert for fires this summer after three consecutive arid winters.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
How did a fish start a brush fire?
A brush fire and power outage occurred near Ashcroft, British Columbia, Canada, prompting a response from firefighters. Fire officials determined the unusual cause of the blaze was an osprey dropping a fish onto a hydro line. The impact caused embers to fall onto the dry grass below, igniting the fire. Crews, assisted by local ranchers and utility employees, successfully extinguished the flames using approximately 4,800 gallons of water. No one was harmed in the incident, and the osprey, described as the 'prime suspect', sustained no injuries.


The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Grand Canyon ‘megafire' timelapse shows rare fire cloud forming
A time-lapse video shows a fire cloud rolling over the Grand Canyon as a 'megafire' continues to rage on across northern Arizona. Footage taken on Thursday (31 July) shows a pyrocumulus cloud, which forms when air over a fire becomes superheated and rises in large, smoky columns, moving over the national park. The rare weather phenomenon can also spread smoke into neighbouring areas, which officials warn can pose a danger if breathed in. The Dragon Bravo fire, which first ignited on 4 July, has become the largest wildfire in the continental US this year, consuming at least 111,000 acres and destroying the historic lodge at the national park. It was upgraded to 'megafire' status after it crossed the 100,000-acre threshold.


The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Horror moment beach pedalo hurled 50ft into air by tornado narrowly missing screaming tourists as they flee twister
THIS is the scary moment a beach pedalo is hurled 50ft in the air by a freak tornado in southern Russia. Panicked beachgoers screamed and scattered as the pedal-boat slammed into the roof of a beach structure, where others hid for cover. 6 6 6 A fierce tornado tore through Agoy beach in Russia's Krasnodar region on Sunday. Floods hit 70 residential areas and 34 homes in the villages of Defanovka, Moldavanovka and Novomikhailovsky, the regional Emergency Situations Ministry reported. Shocking footage shows a pedal-boat sucked into a whirlwind before crashing onto the roof of a beach structure - just above terrified holidaymakers who narrowly escaped serious injury. The pedalo is then seen falling off the roof and landing on the sand. A beach cabana and sun loungers are also sent flying from the beach. No injuries were reported, though the beach suffered considerable damage. A tornado warning was issued for the coastline following three days of storms in the area. Separate footage shows flash floods sweeping away a bridge in Lermontovo - a popular tourist village around 25 miles away from Agoy. Fallen trees and debris damaged the bridge, which collapsed due to rising waters in the Shapsukho River. Access to around 300 tourist homes was cut off by the bridge's destruction, according to reports. Moment tourists flee as TORNADO hits Italian beach sending parasols flying Temporary accommodation centres have been set up, reports bne IntelliNews. Emergency services reportedly dispatched 48 specialists and six units of special equipment to flooded areas. Several people are believed to be missing. Officials said water levels on rivers in Krasnodar region and the Black Sea coast from Anapa to Magri are expected to rise until Monday afternoon. It comes as a tornado barrelled into a packed Italian beach. Footage showed the twister tearing across the shore in Maccarese, north of Rome, sending parasols flying and tourists scrambling for cover. At least one woman sustained minor injuries, according to local reports. Around 1pm the same day, a pair of towering waterspouts spun out of a thunderstorm and struck Italy's east coast near the Po Delta. 6 6 6