Extreme heat and gusty winds have caused forest fires in the suburbs of Athens. According to tour operators, Russian organized tourists are not in danger: their traditional vacation spots are far from the fire sites, ATOR reports.
In Greece Since the beginning of July, the weather has been hot, with the thermometer reaching 38–40 degrees in recent days. Due to the high temperatures, even the famous Acropolis was closed from midday last Monday to avoid heat stroke for tourists.
The abnormal heat was one of the reasons for the outbreak of several fires around Athens. According to Greek media, the largest fires were recorded in two places: in Rafina (30 km east of Athens), where the port is located, connecting the mainland with a number of islands by ferry, and in the town of Kineta (55 km west of Athens).
Strong winds helped the fire spread quickly. "We were unlucky. The wind changed and it came to us with such force that it destroyed the coastal area in a matter of minutes. The fire took people by surprise," said Rafina Mayor Evangelos Bournoos, who estimates that about 100 houses in the city have burned.
According to preliminary data, as of Tuesday morning at least 26 people were killed (according to other sources - at least 50) and more than 100 people were injured. There are no reports of casualties or injuries among tourists. Currently, about 600 firefighters, military personnel and sailors are involved in extinguishing the fire. The fires are being localized. As of Tuesday morning, only active extinguishing of the fire on the outskirts of the resort town of Xylokastro is known.
The Greek authorities have already requested assistance from other countries to help them cope with the disaster more quickly.
The fire did not pose an immediate threat to the famous ancient monuments of Greece or to Athens itself. However, many residents of the capital rushed to leave the city, causing traffic jams and making it difficult for firefighters to access. In addition, there were disruptions in the train schedule. Ferry service from Rafina was temporarily limited. There are reports of the evacuation of residents and tourists from some places in Rafina on Tuesday morning. There are no reports yet on whether there were Russians among them.
Heavy rain is forecast for southern Greece on Wednesday, which should help contain the fires.
According to tour operators, there is no threat to Russian organized tourists vacationing in Athens or in resort villages near the capital.
"There is no threat to the life and health of tourists. The situation is under control. We are closely monitoring the developments and, moreover, we are working ahead of the curve. On Monday, we offered three of our tourists in the region to move to another place. Despite the fact that their hotel was far from the fires, but so that nothing would disturb our guests, we decided to place them in another hotel," said Alexander Tsandekidis, CEO of the tour operator Mouzenidis Travel.
According to him, the fire did not affect the hotel stock of the Attica region. "All popular accommodation facilities are located far from the fire sites," he emphasized.
According to Mr. Tsandekidis, there are Russian tourists in Athens, but “there are not many of them.” “In the summer, Russians mainly go on holiday to the Greek islands or to mainland resorts far from the capital,” he noted.
Source: trn-news.ru