Two dead and evacuation under way as fires break out on Greek island
Nearly 200 firefighters are trying to keep the two fires on Salamina apart, Greek media report.
A Greek island close to Athens experienced two nearly simultaneous fires on Sunday, resulting in two fatalities and an ongoing evacuation.
According to Greek media, fire officials reported that approximately 200 firefighters were actively working to put out the fires on Salamina island and prevent them from merging.
The initial fire was reported at 2:40 PM local time (12:40 PM GMT) and quickly spread due to strong winds, as stated by island officials. The island was under a high wildfire risk on Sunday.
A coastguard spokesperson informed Greek broadcaster ERT that around 90 people have been evacuated by sea so far.
He added that five patrol boats have been dispatched to the area, and several private vessels are also available to assist.
A number of aircraft and 50 fire engines have been deployed to combat the blaze.
Salamina Deputy Mayor Thodoris Zannis mentioned that firefighters were attempting to prevent the fires from crossing a mountain on the island and merging into a single large wildfire.
Salamina, located just west of Athens, has a population of approximately 37,000 residents, many of whom are elderly.
Firefighters across Europe have been dealing with multiple wildfires this weekend, intensified by high temperatures.
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