At least 74 people have been killed and over 150 injured in wildfires burning across Greece, in the country’s worst fire crisis in over a decade.
The most devastating blazes occurred in Mati, a seaside town about 30 kilometres east of Athens, where a Red Cross official said on Tuesday morning that 26 bodies had been discovered, some of whom were locked in an embrace.
It is thought that the victims had fled to the sea to try and avoid the flames and sweltering heat. They hoped to be picked up by passing boats.
Greek coastguards later retrieved four bodies from the sea, one of which was thought to be a six-month-old baby who died from smoke inhalation.
“Mati doesn’t even exist as a settlement anymore,” a resident told Skai TV.
“I saw corpses, burned-out cars. I feel lucky to be alive.”
The fires in Mati were just one of many devastating blazes across the country and particularly the Attica region, which has a population of around 3.5 million people, and houses the Greek capital.
Gale force winds, topping 80 kilometres an hour, pushed the fires rapidly through once quiet and peaceful resort towns, acting as a retreat for predominantly holidaymakers, pensioners, and children on holiday camps.
The blazes destroyed major transport links, and left a trail of burning houses, cars, and three and four-story buildings in their wake. The dire situation on land forced victims into the sea.
Speaking to the BBC, Mati resident Kostas Loganos said: “Thankfully the sea was there and we went into the sea, because the flames were chasing us all the way to the water, it burned our backs and we dove into the water.
"It reminded me of the eruption (of Vesuvius in 79 AD) at Pompeii, exactly that, and I said my God, we must run to save ourselves, and nothing else. Terrible."
Mati Journalist Kostas Koukoumakas told the BBC: “What is happening here in eastern Attica is a black hell.
“After I passed by hundreds of burning cars and houses earlier today, I reached the yard where police said so many people had been found dead.
“I could see some of them lying on the ground as fog covered the place and a toxic smell spread through the atmosphere.”
Breaking out on Monday, the fires are the country’s worst since 2007, when more than 60 people were killed in a wildfire on the southern Peloponnese peninsula.
“It’s a difficult night for Greece,” Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said.
“We are dealing with something completely asymmetric.”
The Greek government deployed their entire fleet of water-dropping aircraft on Monday and over 600 firefighters were sent to the areas with the two largest infernos; Rafina, to the east of Athens, and Kineta to the west.
Chief firefighter Achilleas Tzouvaras said that this an “extreme situation”, and “people should leave, close up their homes and just leave”.
“People cannot tolerate so much smoke for so many hours," he added.
Officials also called on partners in the European Union to help. Evacuation vehicles and other related equipment has already been sent from countries such as Spain, Cyrpus, and the United States.
“We are doing everything humanly possible to try and tackle these fires,” Mr Tsipras said. He said that “all emergency forces” had been mobilised to manage the evacuation process, and rescue those in need.
Greece's interior minister, Panos Skourletis, described the wildfires as a "national tragedy", and a "biblical disaster with human losses”.
While wildfires are uncommon in Greece, experts cite record-breaking high temperatures felt across Europe as a potential cause, in some countries reaching highs of over 38°C.
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Company profile
Name: One Good Thing
Founders: Bridgett Lau and Micheal Cooke
Based in: Dubai
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 5 employees
Stage: Looking for seed funding
Investors: Self-funded and seeking external investors
Company Profile
Company name: Big Farm Brothers
Started: September 2020
Founders: Vishal Mahajan and Navneet Kaur
Based: Dubai Investment Park 1
Industry: food and agriculture
Initial investment: $205,000
Current staff: eight to 10
Future plan: to expand to other GCC markets
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
Read more about the coronavirus
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Thanksgiving meals to try
World Cut Steakhouse, Habtoor Palace Hotel, Dubai. On Thursday evening, head chef Diego Solis will be serving a high-end sounding four-course meal that features chestnut veloute with smoked duck breast, turkey roulade accompanied by winter vegetables and foie gras and pecan pie, cranberry compote and popcorn ice cream.
Jones the Grocer, various locations across the UAE. Jones’s take-home holiday menu delivers on the favourites: whole roast turkeys, an array of accompaniments (duck fat roast potatoes, sausages wrapped in beef bacon, honey-glazed parsnips and carrots) and more, as well as festive food platters, canapes and both apple and pumpkin pies.
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, The Address Hotel, Dubai. This New Orleans-style restaurant is keen to take the stress out of entertaining, so until December 25 you can order a full seasonal meal from its Takeaway Turkey Feast menu, which features turkey, homemade gravy and a selection of sides – think green beans with almond flakes, roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potato casserole and bread stuffing – to pick up and eat at home.
The Mattar Farm Kitchen, Dubai. From now until Christmas, Hattem Mattar and his team will be producing game- changing smoked turkeys that you can enjoy at home over the festive period.
Nolu’s, The Galleria Mall, Maryah Island Abu Dhabi. With much of the menu focused on a California inspired “farm to table” approach (with Afghani influence), it only seems right that Nolu’s will be serving their take on the Thanksgiving spread, with a brunch at the Downtown location from 12pm to 4pm on Friday.
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The%20Last%20White%20Man
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Major honours
ARSENAL
BARCELONA
- La Liga - 2013
- Copa del Rey - 2012
- Fifa Club World Cup - 2011
CHELSEA
- Premier League - 2015, 2017
- FA Cup - 2018
- League Cup - 2015
SPAIN
- World Cup - 2010
- European Championship - 2008, 2012
RESULT
Arsenal 1 Chelsea 2
Arsenal: Aubameyang (13')
Chelsea: Jorginho (83'), Abraham (87')
