Greek media have described the disaster as a “national tragedy”, while Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras cut short a visit to Bosnia and announced three days of national mourning.
ATHENS: The number of deaths from the worst forest fires in Greece for more than a decade has risen to 80. High winds spread the fire, trapping many in homes and vehicles and forcing others into the water as they tried to escape the flames.
Coastal patrol boats combed the shoreline on Wednesday, searching for survivors and bodies, while rescue teams searched houses and cars.
The prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, has declared three days of national mourning. It is Greece’s worst natural disaster since wildfires destroyed large tracts of the western Peloponnese in 2007.
Rescue efforts are expected to continue for several days, with 4 firefighting planes from Italy and 64 firefighters from Cyprus joining the operation.
The Greece government is facing mounting criticism of its handling of the rescue operation, with residents claiming no emergency plan was put into effect when the fires tore through seaside resorts.
The country’s entire fleet of water-dropping aircraft was deployed on Monday, the military sent specially trained units for fire prevention patrols, and officials called on their partners in the European Union for help.
On social media, people posted pleas for information about missing family members, offers of accommodation for people forced out of their homes, and appeals for blood donation.
