Two dead in wildfire on Greek island of Salamina
A wildfire on Greece's Salamina island killed two people and injured nine on Sunday, prompting the evacuation of hundreds of residents and tourists.
A wildfire broke out on Sunday on the Greek island of Salamina, located in the Saronic Gulf near Athens, killing two people and injuring nine others, according to officials.
The fire has been burning through pine forest and scrubland on the island, which has around 37,000 residents, many of them elderly. Beaches on the island were reportedly full of people when the blaze started on Sunday.
Mass evacuation
Hundreds of people, including both local residents and tourists, have been evacuated from areas threatened by the flames as a safety precaution.
Large firefighting operation
About 200 firefighters and nearly 50 fire engines have been deployed to battle the blaze, supported by six aircraft and seven helicopters carrying out water drops.
According to Greece's fire service, the Salamina fire is not an isolated case — a total of 34 wildfires broke out across the country in the past 24 hours, underscoring the strain caused by the summer heat and dry conditions.
