Latest news with #civilprotection
Reuters
a day ago
- Climate
- Reuters
Portugal battles three large wildfires in sweltering summer heat
CANELAS, Portugal, July 29 (Reuters) - More than 1,300 firefighters backed up by a dozen waterbombing planes battled three big wildfires in central and northern Portugal on Tuesday, with authorities putting most of the country on red alert for fires after weeks of hot weather. In the Arouca area, some 300 km (185 miles) north of Lisbon - where the largest of the fires has been raging since Monday -the civil protection service evacuated several dozen villagers from their homes and closed the scenic trails of Passadicos do Paiva, a popular tourist attraction. "It's desperate to see this ... we need help, we need air support," said Rafael Soares, a resident of the village of Canelas, recalling a devastating wildfire last September which burned 6,000 hectares (15,000 acres) of forest near Arouca. He blamed the fires on droughts linked to climate change that have left the area's forests bone-dry. Further north, a wildfire has been raging since Saturday in the Peneda-Geres national park near the Spanish border, enveloping nearby villages in thick smoke that led to orders for residents to stay at home on several occasions. Spain sent several waterbombing aircraft to help control the flames in the area. Three wildfires were raging in Spain's region of Castile and Leon early on Tuesday, the most severe one near Avila, about 100 km (62 miles) west of Madrid. People in the town of Mombeltran were ordered to remain inside due to the smoke. Hot and dry summers are common across the Mediterranean region, but more intense heatwaves have contributed to destructive wildfires in recent years amid fast-rising temperatures around the globe. Turkey has suffered dozens of wildfires in recent weeks as temperatures have soared, and 10 firefighters were killed last week battling a blaze in the central Eskisehir province. At the weekend, several villages in Greece were evacuated and five people were injured in separate wildfires.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Acropolis shuts, outdoor work halted as heatwave scorches Greece
Greece's top archaeological monument, the Acropolis, was partially shut Tuesday as part of emergency measures to protect visitors and workers around the country during a four-day heatwave. The Greek culture ministry said the world-renowned site would be shut till 5:00 pm (1400 GMT) "for the safety of workers and visitors, owing to high temperatures." The four-day heatwave confirmed by meteorologists began Sunday is the second to grip Greece since late June. Temperatures are expected to reach 42 Celsius (107.6 Fahrenheit) on Tuesday, with a maximum of 38 Celsius in Athens. Similar temperatures are expected on Wednesday. To protect outdoor workers, the labour ministry has decreed a work stoppage from 12:00 to 5:00 pm in various parts of the country, including several islands. The stoppage mainly affects construction work and delivery riders. "Days with a heatwave make my job more difficult," cycle-riding courier Michalis Keskinidis told AFP. "We drink a lot of water to protect ourselves from the heat, combined with electrolytes, and take breaks whenever possible," the 43-year-old said. The 2,500-year-old Acropolis, built on a rock overlooking the capital that offers little shade, draws tens of thousands of visitors daily. Last year it recorded some 4.5 million visitors, an increase of over 15 percent compared to 2023. Officials had been forced to order similar shutdowns in the past two years in heatwave conditions. - Risk of fire, storms - The Greek civil protection authority has warned of high fire risk in the greater Athens area, in central Greece and the Peloponnese peninsula. Greece's fire department has been dealing with up to 50 fires daily, the head of the Greek fire service officers' union Constantinos Tsigkas told state TV ERT. Elsewhere, Serbia's hydrometeorological service RMHZ warned that weather conditions could fuel more fires, after 620 fires were recorded Monday. But there are also thunderstorms expected in Serbia's northern Vojvodina region, as well as in western and central areas. RHMZ has also warned of the possibility of hail and hurricane-force gusts of wind. Croatia has already felt the impact of storms since Monday, with several of the country's regions affected. Two people were injured and hospitalised in Vinkovci after a storm knocked down a power line on a family house near the eastern town, police said. The authorities said they had taken dozens of calls over wind-related emergencies including trees blocking roads, damaged roofs and power failures. On Tuesday, heavy rain and gale-force winds flooded roads, knocked down trees and caused power outages at the Croatian port town of Split, the state-run HRT broadcaster reported. At the town's port, a ferry broke its moorings and hit a catamaran and a tourist excursion boat, sinking the latter. There was similar trouble further north, with storms raging in Hungary and Slovakia. In Budapest, strong winds damaged roofs, felled trees onto roads and downed power lines on Monday, with the national meteorological service HungaroMet measuring winds up to 137 kilometres (85 miles) per hour locally. Rail traffic was severely disrupted across Hungary with full restoration of services potentially requiring weeks, according to Construction and Transport Minister Janos Lazar. In Slovakia, gale-force winds caused power outages and blew off the roof of a block of flats in the eastern town of Gelnica and fallen trees disrupted road and railway transport across the region. The country's weather service SHMU has issued a storm warning with heavy rain, wind and hail for Tuesday, mainly for central and eastern Slovakia. burs-yap/jph/ach
Khaleej Times
08-07-2025
- Climate
- Khaleej Times
Acropolis shuts, outdoor work halted as heatwave scorches Greece
Greece's top archaeological monument, the Acropolis, was partially shut Tuesday as part of emergency measures to protect visitors and workers around the country during a four-day heatwave. The Greek culture ministry said the world-renowned site would be shut till 5:00 pm (1400 GMT) "for the safety of workers and visitors, owing to high temperatures." The four-day heatwave confirmed by meteorologists began Sunday is the second to grip Greece since late June. Temperatures are expected to reach 42 Celsius (107.6 Fahrenheit) on Tuesday, with a maximum of 38 Celsius in Athens. Similar temperatures are expected on Wednesday. To protect outdoor workers, the labour ministry has decreed a work stoppage from 12:00 to 5:00 pm in various parts of the country, including several islands. The stoppage mainly affects construction work and delivery riders. "Days with a heatwave make my job more difficult," cycle-riding courier Michalis Keskinidis told AFP. "We drink a lot of water to protect ourselves from the heat, combined with electrolytes, and take breaks whenever possible," the 43-year-old said. The 2,500-year-old Acropolis, built on a rock overlooking the capital that offers little shade, draws tens of thousands of visitors daily. Last year it recorded some 4.5 million visitors, an increase of over 15 percent compared to 2023. Officials had been forced to order similar shutdowns in the past two years in heatwave conditions. - Risk of fire, storms - The Greek civil protection authority has warned of high fire risk in the greater Athens area, in central Greece and the Peloponnese peninsula. Greece's fire department has been dealing with up to 50 fires daily, the head of the Greek fire service officers' union Constantinos Tsigkas told state TV ERT. Elsewhere, Serbia's hydrometeorological service RMHZ warned that weather conditions could fuel more fires, after 620 fires were recorded Monday. But there are also thunderstorms expected in Serbia's northern Vojvodina region, as well as in western and central areas. RHMZ has also warned of the possibility of hail and hurricane-force gusts of wind. Croatia has already felt the impact of storms since Monday, with several of the country's regions affected. Two people were injured and hospitalised in Vinkovci after a storm knocked down a power line on a family house near the eastern town, police said. The authorities said they had taken dozens of calls over wind-related emergencies including trees blocking roads, damaged roofs and power failures. On Tuesday, heavy rain and gale-force winds flooded roads, knocked down trees and caused power outages at the Croatian port town of Split, the state-run HRT broadcaster reported. At the town's port, a ferry broke its moorings and hit a catamaran and a tourist excursion boat, sinking the latter. There was similar trouble further north, with storms raging in Hungary and Slovakia. In Budapest, strong winds damaged roofs, felled trees onto roads and downed power lines on Monday, with the national meteorological service HungaroMet measuring winds up to 137 kilometres (85 miles) per hour locally. Rail traffic was severely disrupted across Hungary with full restoration of services potentially requiring weeks, according to Construction and Transport Minister Janos Lazar. In Slovakia, gale-force winds caused power outages and blew off the roof of a block of flats in the eastern town of Gelnica and fallen trees disrupted road and railway transport across the region. The country's weather service SHMU has issued a storm warning with heavy rain, wind and hail for Tuesday, mainly for central and eastern Slovakia.
Arab News
08-07-2025
- Climate
- Arab News
Acropolis shuts, outdoor work halted as heatwave scorches Greece
ATHENS: Greece's top archaeological monument, the Acropolis, was partially shut Tuesday as part of emergency measures to protect visitors and workers around the country during a four-day heatwave. The Greek culture ministry said the world-renowned site would be shut till 5:00 p.m. (1400 GMT) 'for the safety of workers and visitors, owing to high temperatures.' The four-day heatwave confirmed by meteorologists began Sunday is the second to grip Greece since late June. Temperatures are expected to reach 42 Celsius (107.6 Fahrenheit) on Tuesday, with a maximum of 38 Celsius in Athens. Similar temperatures are expected on Wednesday. To protect outdoor workers, the labor ministry has decreed a work stoppage from 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. in various parts of the country, including several islands. The stoppage mainly affects construction work and delivery riders. 'Days with a heatwave make my job more difficult,' cycle-riding courier Michalis Keskinidis told AFP. 'We drink a lot of water to protect ourselves from the heat, combined with electrolytes, and take breaks whenever possible,' the 43-year-old said. The 2,500-year-old Acropolis, built on a rock overlooking the capital that offers little shade, draws tens of thousands of visitors daily. Last year it recorded some 4.5 million visitors, an increase of over 15 percent compared to 2023. Officials had been forced to order similar shutdowns in the past two years in heatwave conditions. The Greek civil protection authority has warned of high fire risk in the greater Athens area, in central Greece and the Peloponnese peninsula. Greece's fire department has been dealing with up to 50 fires daily, the head of the Greek fire service officers' union Constantinos Tsigkas told state TV ERT. Elsewhere, Serbia's hydrometeorological service RMHZ warned that weather conditions could fuel more fires, after 620 fires were recorded Monday. But there are also thunderstorms expected in Serbia's northern Vojvodina region, as well as in western and central areas. RHMZ has also warned of the possibility of hail and hurricane-force gusts of wind. Croatia has already felt the impact of storms since Monday, with several of the country's regions affected. Two people were injured and hospitalized in Vinkovci after a storm knocked down a power line on a family house near the eastern town, police said. The authorities said they had taken dozens of calls over wind-related emergencies including trees blocking roads, damaged roofs and power failures. On Tuesday, heavy rain and gale-force winds flooded roads, knocked down trees and caused power outages at the Croatian port town of Split, the state-run HRT broadcaster reported. At the town's port, a ferry broke its moorings and hit a catamaran and a tourist excursion boat, sinking the latter. There was similar trouble further north, with storms raging in Hungary and Slovakia. In Budapest, strong winds damaged roofs, felled trees onto roads and downed power lines on Monday, with the national meteorological service HungaroMet measuring winds up to 137 kilometers (85 miles) per hour locally. Rail traffic was severely disrupted across Hungary with full restoration of services potentially requiring weeks, according to Construction and Transport Minister Janos Lazar. In Slovakia, gale-force winds caused power outages and blew off the roof of a block of flats in the eastern town of Gelnica and fallen trees disrupted road and railway transport across the region. The country's weather service SHMU has issued a storm warning with heavy rain, wind and hail for Tuesday, mainly for central and eastern Slovakia.
Daily Mail
03-07-2025
- Climate
- Daily Mail
Mass evacuations in Crete as wildfire threatens tourists
A rapidly spreading wildfire on the Greek island of Crete has triggered widespread evacuations of tourists, hotels and homes. The blaze, which sparked in the mountains between the villages of Ferma, Achila and Agia Fota late Tuesday, was whipped up by powerful winds and tore through Crete's coastal areas yesterday. Authorities said evacuations were ordered at three sites outside the port of Ierapetra on the island's south coast as the inferno raged out of control overnight Wednesday into this morning. Around 230 firefighters were operating in the area overnight to try and contain the blaze. This morning, 10 water-dropping aircraft were dispatched to fly regular sorties over Crete, with reinforcements sent from Athens. Reports of the number of people evacuated vary, but the president of a hotelier's association this morning told Protothema that 5,000 people - mostly foreign tourists - were moved out of homes and hotels in what is one of Greece 's most popular holiday hotspots. Fire brigade spokesmen and civil protection officials have so far confirmed around 1,500 evacuees were forced to leave their accommodation. Others stranded on the beach were whisked away by boats and rescue vessels. Homes were reported damaged as flames swept through hillside forests, fanned by strong winds, and emergency services reported that several people were transported to hospital with respiratory issues. 'It's a very difficult situation. The fire is very hard to contain. Right now, they cannot contain it,' Nektarios Papadakis, a civil protection official at the regional authority, said. Firefighters and rescue workers told Greek outlet Protothema that powerful and unpredictable winds were to blame for the blaze. 'It's constantly swirling, constantly changing direction, and unfortunately, the fire is shifting. It's tragic!' one said. The punishing wildfires come amid a heatwave that has left most of continental Europe sweltering, with at least eight people said to have died. In Spain, temperatures climbed well above 40 degrees C, triggering another fire in a farming area in Catalonia on Tuesday afternoon, which claimed the lives of two people. Greece, situated at Europe's southernmost tip, is often hit by wildfires during its hot and dry summers. But authorities have blamed a fast-changing climate for fuelling more destructive blazes in recent years. Papadakis said that the displaced tourists and residents have been offered temporary shelter while the firefighters continue to tackle the inferno. 'The tourists who were moved out are all okay. They have been taken to an indoor basketball arena and hotels in other regions of the island,' he said. 'Winds are still very strong and the fire is intense,' the deputy governor of Lasithi, Yiannis Androulakis, told broadcaster ERT on Thursday morning. Overnight, with aerial support grounded, all our efforts were focused on saving as many homes as possible.' He added that firefighting and rescue efforts were complicated by power outages amid the fire. 'We had no electricity throughout the night,' Androulakis said. 'In most areas, we didn't even have a mobile signal.' The risk of wildfires continuing to spread in Crete and elsewhere is heightened as weather forecasters warned Greece is set for hot, dry and windy conditions through the weekend into next week. Inland temperatures will reach 38 degrees C and will settle at 30 degrees C along the coast amid strong winds. Despite the scale of the blaze, there were no immediate reports of serious injuries, though several residents and tourists are being treated for respiratory issues. The Fire Service and a civil protection agency issued localised mobile phone alerts for the evacuations. Residents have also been told not to return to their properties to try and save their homes as the fire began cresting ridgelines and edging toward residential areas overnight. The blaze sent clouds of ash into the night sky, illuminated by the headlights of emergency vehicles and water trucks that lined the coastal road near the resorts of Ferma and Achlia on the southeast of Crete. Members of specialised units - often only working with hand tools - were creating hillside fire breaks to try and slow the advance of the blaze. Other firefighters are also trying to tame a wildfire on the island of Kythira and another blaze in the northern region of Chalkidiki, which rage uncontrolled. The fire department has already been forced to tackle dozens of wildfires across Greece so far this year. In 2018, a huge inferno swept through the seaside town of Mati, east of Athens, trapping people in their homes and on roads as they tried to flee. More than 100 died, including some who drowned while trying to swim away from the flames. The risk of wildfires remained very high across Crete and parts of southern Greece on Thursday, according to a daily bulletin issued by the Fire Service. It comes days after wildfires tore through a Turkish holiday destination, causing chaos for tourists as hundreds of passengers were left stranded. A huge fire ripped through the popular resort of Foça, İzmir, before strong winds fanned the flames and sent them towards neighbourhoods and residential areas. One suspect has been accused of starting the fire when they allegedly set fire to their own house, and tinder-dry conditions saw the blaze spread at pace. In the wake of the fire in Turkey, flights at İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport had closed temporarily as of 4pm local time on Sunday, with hundreds of passengers left stranded as a result. Residents watched in horror as their homes went up in flames while firefighters spent more than 22 hours tackling the huge blaze across İzmir. The major emergency response involved 625 personnel, including six helicopters, 46 fire engines, nine bulldozers and 13 water supply vehicles. Around 550 residents were evacuated from some 175 homes in Ilıpınar, Foça. Several heat-related deaths have been recorded across Europe since the heatwave began. Authorities continue to investigate possible heat-related complications. A 10-year-old girl died after suffering a heart attack in northern France on Tuesday as the heat forced some 2,200 schools to shut nationwide. The American tourist, who was travelling with her family, collapsed in the courtyard of the Palace of Versailles yesterday evening. Firefighters arrived promptly on the scene as the child, understood to have been undergoing treatment for underlying health issues, suffered a heart attack. Within an hour of her collapsing, she was declared dead. An investigation is expected to be opened to determine the cause of death, local media reports. Initial reports suggest that the extreme heat may have played a role in aggravating her illness. Spain, facing temperatures in the low 40s on Wednesday, continued to grapple with wildfires in Catalonia as Barcelona recorded its hottest June in more than 100 years. Some 6,500 hectares (16,000 acres) burned on Tuesday before firefighters got some help from a rainstorm and established a perimeter. Two people were killed in the blaze. Meanwhile, police in Tarragona reported the tragic death of a two-year-old on Tuesday, who they said had been left in a car in the sun for several hours. The punishing heatwave loosened its grip on western Europe somewhat on Wednesday and started to roll eastwards, with Germany expected to record some of its hottest temperatures of the year so far. Germany's national weather service (DWD) issued blanket weather warnings for heat and extreme heat covering the entire country. The agency said it expected 'maximum temperatures with exceptionally high peaks of up to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit)' . The unusually hot weather was causing disruptions to transport, with the national rail operator Deutsche Bahn saying it expected services to be affected in the west of the country where temperatures were rising most. Forest fires also broke out in the Harz Mountains.
