Greece: Settlements evacuated as wildfires spread

Residents in a number of settlements in Corinthia and Western Attica have received 112 emergency messages ordering them to evacuate their homes due to fires raging in the region.

Shortly after 7 p.m., residents of the Glykia Zoi settlement in Corinthia were ordered to evacuate their homes and move towards Agioi Theodoroi.

The settlement lies less than a kilometer from the perimeter of an oil refinery, the largest industrial complex in the country.

Twenty minutes later, residents of Loutropyrgos, Ano Vlychada, Othona and Efftaxia, all in Western Attica, were ordered to immediately evacuate in the direction of Elefsina.

At around 8.15 p.m., residents in Nea Peramos, also in Western Attica, were warned to remain alert and to follow the instructions of the authorities.

Earlier, the Fire Service said the fire raging in the Dervenochoria area of western Attica has grown in intensity while the fire in the wider area of Loutraki, Corinthia, has not yet been controlled.

All roads between Elefsina and Corinth have been closed by order of the police, due to the intensification of the wildfires. The order concerns the new motorway between the two toll stations at Elefsina and Corinth as well as the old national highway.

Source: ekathimerini.com