Greece gets EU help to battle disastrous wildfires
The fronts were raging in the Peloponnese area west of the capital, as well as on the islands of Evia and Kythera, with aircraft and helicopters resuming their work in several parts of the country at dawn.
Forecasters predicted the strong winds that have fanned the flames would die down in most areas, but warned that Kythera continued to face "worrying" windy conditions.
Evacuation messages were sent to people on the island, which lies off the south-eastern tip of the Peloponnese as the fire was raging unabated.
"Houses, beehives, olive trees have been burnt," Giorgos Komninos, deputy mayor of Kythera, told local outlet ERT News.
"A monastery is in direct danger right now," he said, adding that half of the island had been burnt.
Dozens of firefighters supported by three helicopters and two aircraft were battling the Kythera blaze, which erupted Saturday morning and forced the evacuation of a popular tourist beach.
Greece had requested help from EU allies and two Italian aircraft were expected later, according to the fire brigade, with units from the Czech Republic already at work.
Eleven regions of Greece still face a very high fire risk, according to officials.
Firefighters are working in several areas of the Peloponnese and there were several flare-ups overnight on the island of Evia, near Athens, where the flames have laid waste to swathes of forest and killed thousands of farm animals.
Further south on Crete, reports said fires that broke out yesterday afternoon and destroyed four houses and a church and largely been contained.
Greece has endured heatwave conditions for almost a week, with temperatures passing 40 degrees Celsius in many areas, though the heat is expected to die down from tomorrow.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
3 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Horror moment beach pedalo hurled 50ft into air by tornado narrowly missing screaming tourists as they flee twister
A mudflow caused a bridge to collapse, cutting off access to 300 tourist homes TWISTER TERROR 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. Advertisement 6 A pedal-boat is hurtled into the air by a tornado on Agoy beach in Russia's Krasnodar region Credit: East2West 6 The pedalo crashed onto a beach structure where beachgoers took cover Credit: East2West 6 Flooded streets in Russia's Krasnodar region after heavy storms and mudflow Credit: East2West 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. Advertisement 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. Advertisement 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. Advertisement 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. Advertisement 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 A bridge pictured shortly before it collapsed as a result of mudflow Credit: East2West 6 Scene of bridge collapse caused by mudflow following heavy rain in Russia's Krasnodar region. Credit: East2West Advertisement
The Journal
7 hours ago
- The Journal
Seventeen heat records broken in Japan today
SEVENTEEN HEAT RECORDS were broken in Japan today, the weather agency said, after the country sweltered through its hottest ever June and July. Heatwaves are becoming more intense and frequent worldwide because of human-caused climate change, scientists say, and Japan is no exception. The city of Komatsu, in the central region of Ishikawa, saw a new record of 40.3 degrees Celsius today, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said. Toyama city in Toyama prefecture, also in the central region, hit 39.8C, the highest temperature since records began, according to the JMA. Fifteen other locations across cities and towns soared to new highs between 35.7C and 39.8C, added the JMA, which monitors temperatures at more than 900 points in Japan. On 30 July, Japan experienced its highest recorded temperature, a sizzling 41.2C in the western region of Hyogo. Advertisement The rainy season ended about three weeks earlier than usual in western regions of Japan, another record. With low levels of rainfall and heat, several dams in the northern region were almost empty, the land ministry said, with farmers worried that a water shortage and extreme heat could result in a poor harvest. Experts warn Japan's beloved cherry trees are blooming earlier due to the warmer climate, or sometimes not fully blossoming because autumns and winters are not cold enough to trigger flowering. The famous snowcap of Mount Fuji was absent for the longest recorded period last year, not appearing until early November, compared with the average of early October. Japan this year had its hottest June and July since data collection began in 1898, with the weather agency warning of further 'severe heat' in the months ahead. The speed of temperature increases across the world is not uniform. Of the continents, Europe has seen the fastest warming per decade since 1990, followed closely by Asia, according to global data from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The Irish Sun
8 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Shock moment tourists flee as TORNADO smashes into Italian beach sending parasols flying into the air
THIS is the shocking moment a tornado barrelled into a packed Italian beach - sending parasols hurtling into the sky as panicked tourists ran for their lives. Wild footage captured the terrifying twister tearing across the shore in Maccarese, north of Rome. 3 Shocking video footage captured the moment tourists were forced to leave an Italian beach after a tornado hit Credit: Facebook/Fregene Beach 3 Sunseekers in Maccarese held on to their belongings as parasols were sent into the sky Credit: Facebook/Fregene Beach 3 Separate footage captured near the Delta del Po showed a pair of giant waterspouts Credit: Facebook/Emilia Romagna Meteo Dozens of stunned sunseekers were seen sprinting across the sand as the swirling column of wind ripped umbrellas out of the ground and flung them into the air like darts. Terrified locals and tourists clutched their bags and beach gear to their chests while desperately fleeing the chaos on Sunday. Sand and parasols swirled high above their heads, creating a dizzying vortex over the beachfront as the tornado carved through the scene. Incredibly, some beachgoers refused to budge — staying glued to their loungers even as the winds whipped towels and belongings across the sand. Read more on tornadoes HORROR FLOODS Spain weather hell as search called off for two swept away in floods At least one woman suffered minor injuries, according to local reports, and required medical attention after the whirlwind struck. But the drama was far from over. Around 1pm that same day, another violent weather spectacle was caught on camera off Italy's east coast. A pair of towering waterspouts spun out of a thunderstorm near the Delta del Po, stunning locals and halting boat tours. Watch moment towering waterspout tornado slams into beach sending bathers fleeing running and hurling tables & chairs One tour boat operator paused his excursion to capture the rare double phenomenon which saw the twin columns "dance" across the sea. The Emilia-Romagna Meteo Facebook page later shared the eerie footage, showing the watery spires forming, folding, and merging during the storm. Waterspouts — tornado-like funnels that form over water — aren't unheard of in Europe, with around 500 recorded each year. But locals were warned this week to brace for more. A moderate wind warning was issued by Italy's Meteorological Service on Monday, cautioning residents of "moderate intensity weather phenomena" in the north. Heavy rain and thunderstorms are also forecast to hammer the Marche and Umbria regions through late Monday morning. Last year, a towering waterspout tornado crashed into a packed-out beach on Italy's Adriatic coast. Holidaymakers in Salento were sent into a frenzy as the massive waterspout hurtled toward the San Cataldo, Torre Specchia, and San Foca marinas. Videos showed the menacing spout churning out of dark clouds and charging at the beach, tossing deckchairs, tables and even jet skis into the air. Panic erupted as families bolted from the shoreline. One clip showed beachgoers fleeing up a flight of steps just before the spout slams into the sand, leaving a trail of wreckage behind. Bins, umbrellas, and sunbeds were scattered across the beach like toys.
