Latest news with #NikosChristodoulides
Al Jazeera
5 days ago
- Climate
- Al Jazeera
Photos: Deadly Cyprus wildfire claims two lives, forces mass evacuations
Published On 24 Jul 2025 24 Jul 2025 A devastating wildfire in southern Cyprus has killed two people and prompted hundreds to flee as flames ravaged approximately 100 square kilometres (38 square miles) of territory in a wine-producing region north of the city of Limassol. The blaze erupted around midday on Wednesday and continues raging across multiple fronts, endangering more than a dozen villages. Authorities discovered two victims in a charred vehicle, trapped by the rapidly advancing inferno. At least 10 others suffered injuries, with two in serious condition. Extreme weather has fuelled the fire's intensity, with temperatures soaring to 43 degrees Celsius (109.4 degrees Fahrenheit) on Wednesday and forecast to reach 44C (111.2F) on Thursday, making it the year's hottest day. Powerful, erratic winds have severely hampered containment efforts. The Ministry of Interior mandated immediate evacuations throughout a 14km (8.7 miles) stretch of mountainous area. Children at a campsite near Lofou village were also moved to safety. Video footage revealed trees, vegetation, and homes consumed by flames, while thick smoke shrouded the region. President Nikos Christodoulides visited the command centre in Ayios Efraim and implored residents to heed evacuation directives. More than 250 firefighters are combating the inferno with assistance from 13 aircraft. Spain is dispatching two firefighting planes, while Jordan has sent helicopters, and a British RAF Chinook based in Cyprus is providing additional support. Officials have not been able to identify the fire's cause, but stressed that unpredictable, gusty winds significantly contributed to its spread. Cyprus is simultaneously experiencing severe drought conditions, with the nearby Kouris reservoir — the island's largest — at merely 15.5 percent capacity, compounding the environmental crisis. This wildfire ranks among the most severe the island has experienced in years, with conditions worsening under extreme heat and dangerously arid circumstances.
The Independent
6 days ago
- Climate
- The Independent
Villages evacuated and homes destroyed in massive wildfire
A massive wildfire in southern Cyprus has resulted in two fatalities and the evacuation of hundreds of people, destroying numerous homes and threatening a dozen villages. The blaze, which began on Wednesday, has razed at least 100 square kilometres of a wine-producing region north of Limassol, with several fronts remaining active. Two individuals were found dead in a burned-out vehicle, while ten others sustained injuries, two of them serious. Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides urged residents to evacuate, as over 250 firefighters and international air support from Spain, Jordan, and the RAF battled the flames amid strong winds and temperatures reaching 44C. Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire, which comes after three consecutive arid winters have left Cyprus on high alert for such incidents.
San Francisco Chronicle
6 days ago
- Climate
- San Francisco Chronicle
Person found dead in a car as a wildfire forces the evacuation of a dozen villages in Cyprus
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Police in Cyprus police found a person dead inside a car Wednesday near a massive wildfire that has destroyed numerous homes and forced the evacuation of a dozen villages on the southern side of the island nation's Troodos mountain range. 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.
The Independent
6 days ago
- Climate
- The Independent
Person found dead in a car as a wildfire forces the evacuation of a dozen villages in Cyprus
Police in Cyprus police found a person dead inside a car Wednesday near a massive wildfire that has destroyed numerous homes and forced the evacuation of a dozen villages on the southern side of the island nation's Troodos mountain range. 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.
Al Arabiya
6 days ago
- Climate
- Al Arabiya
Two dead, homes burn in massive Cyprus wildfire
Two people were killed and hundreds evacuated as a massive wildfire tore through southern Cyprus, destroying homes and threatening communities amid an intense heatwave. Firefighters struggled to contain the blaze after it erupted in mountainous terrain north of the southern city of Limassol around midday Wednesday, driven by strong winds and searing temperatures. Overnight, two people were found dead in a burned-out vehicle, while authorities continued efforts to evacuate residents trapped in the village of Lofou, about 26 kilometers (16 miles) from Limassol. 'The situation is very difficult and the fire front is huge. All forces have been mobilized,' Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides told reporters from the scene earlier. Temperatures on the island reached 43 degrees Celsius (109.4 Fahrenheit) on Wednesday, triggering an amber weather alert. Conditions are expected to worsen Thursday, with highs forecast to hit 44 degrees — the hottest day of the year so far. Firefighting aircraft were expected to resume operations at first light after darkness forced a pause. Homes were burning in the Souni-Zanakia communities early Thursday, the fire brigade said. Cyprus has requested assistance through the European Union's civil protection mechanism, with Spain expected to send two aircraft on Thursday, government spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis said. Jordan has also pledged support. The island has been grappling with a protracted drought that has pushed its scarce water resources to critically low levels. The affected area sits just north of the Kouris reservoir — Cyprus's largest — which was at only 15.5 percent of capacity on Wednesday.
