At least four people have died in the violent forest fires who have been raging since yesterday. The bodies of the victims were found near the completely wiped out village of Odou, in the south of the island.
The fires are the “most devastating in the country’s history,” said the interior minister. Eight villages have been evacuated and about 50 square kilometers of forest have been destroyed. President Anastasiades speaks of a tragedy.
Authorities are “cautiously optimistic” and hope they can curb the biggest flames today. But later today, strong gusts of wind could make extinguishing difficult.
Cyprus gets help from abroad. The European Union has sent two fire-fighting planes, reports Sky News. Israel and Italy have also offered help. Anastasiades said yesterday that all Cyprus government services have been called in: “The priority is not to lose lives.”
The exact cause of the fire is not yet known, but the island is experiencing a heat wave with temperatures above 40 degrees this week. A 67-year-old man was previously arrested. He is said to have burned garbage when the fires broke out.
This is what it looks like in the disaster area:
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