AGIOS KONSTANTINOS, Greece, Aug 2 (Reuters) – Two firefighting helicopters collided in Greece whereas serving to to manage an enormous wildfire on Sunday that has destroyed greater than 100 properties northwest of Athens, whereas a recent blaze compelled evacuations on the favored vacationer island of Kefalonia.
Europe has been ravaged by wildfires this summer time after a interval of record-breaking heatwaves and little rain – situations that scientists say have been exacerbated by local weather change.
Harmful blazes in France and Spain confirmed indicators of easing over the weekend, however a number of wildfires have damaged out in Greece after a interval of relative calm there.
Two helicopters collided throughout a firefighting operation within the space of Psatha within the Attica area, west of Athens, Greece’s fireplace service stated in a press release.
Footage posted on the Forecast Climate Greece Fb web page appeared to indicate two helicopters closing to cross paths at low altitude, earlier than the primary rotor of the decrease helicopter struck the underside of the one flying above it and crashed in flames. The second helicopter then dumped its load of water and flew away. Reuters has not verified the authenticity of the footage.
The crew of 1 helicopter had been situated and have been protected, with ambulances on the way in which to choose them up, authorities officers stated. As for the second crew, the helicopter had been situated, and a search-and-rescue operation was underway, officers stated.
’FORCE OF NATURE’
Gale-force winds that had fuelled a hearth round Porto Germeno on the Gulf of Corinth 60 km (40 miles) northwest of Athens subsided, however flames crossed a mountain to the south and reached the settlement of Veniza and a navy firing vary, igniting unexploded ordnance. Firefighters centered their efforts on stopping fireplace from advancing in the direction of the coastal city of Megara, which has a inhabitants of round 30,000.
“There are moments when the drive of nature and the depth of climate situations exceed all human planning and each operational functionality,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated in his common Sunday message.
Greek authorities issued emergency alerts for evacuations for numerous settlements in western Attica, together with an industrial property close to Megara.
Within the village of Agios Konstantinos, residents have been doing their greatest to halt the unfold of the blaze.
“The fireplace has been burning since final evening, it’s sure that they can’t have forces all over the place. We as residents are doing every thing we will,” stated Tasos Tzempelikos, 61, who alongside along with his son was pouring water on the hearth.
Greek day by day Protothema reported {that a} main effort was beneath option to forestall the hearth from Veniza from reaching the close by coastal city of Megara. It stated greater than 10,000 hectares of land had probably been destroyed by the hearth thus far.
In a single day, a number of settlements on the Ionian island of Kefalonia have been evacuated after a hearth broke out within the Pastra space within the south.
FIRES IN FRANCE AND SPAIN MOSTLY UNDER CONTROL
In France, wildfires within the Gironde and Var departments confirmed indicators of easing. Authorities reported solely minor flare-ups within the southwestern Gironde space and stated the blaze within the southeastern Var division had not unfold in a single day.
In Monfort-Sur-Argents, within the area of Var, Georges Blanc, who fled from the hearth, returned house and was busy placing out scorching embers to forestall a flare-up, whereas firefighters watered the broader space.
“With the mixed efforts of the 2 Canadairs (firefighting planes) and the firefighters, I feel you might say all the homes have been saved … And now, effectively, I’m coming again to examine, as a result of since I noticed the flames, I assumed the homes wouldn’t have survived,” he advised Reuters.
In central Spain, wildfires that ripped by way of tens of 1000’s of hectares over the previous week have been principally beneath management, although firefighters have been coping with reignitions in some areas.
Within the western province of Caceres, a forest blaze erupted on Saturday, prompting the evacuation of round 800 folks. These residents have been allowed to return on Sunday however remained confined to their properties as the hearth was nonetheless energetic.
HUNGARY NUCLEAR PLANT FORCED TO SHUT
Different European nations are battling drought and receding water ranges in main rivers, together with the Rhine and the Danube, which recorded its lowest-ever water ranges in Hungary, Serbia and Romania.
Hungary faces a important 5 days, Prime Minister Peter Magyar stated on Sunday, because the drying out of the Danube compelled the nation’s sole nuclear energy plant to close for the primary time in additional than 4 a long time, with a brand new heatwave looming.
Falls in water ranges amid a scarcity of rain have additionally disrupted transport and tourism in Hungary and triggered water-use restrictions in additional than 100 cities and villages.
Danube ranges in Serbia fell to their lowest since 1985, chopping the day by day output of the nation’s greatest hydropower plant to solely 20%, the power minister stated on Sunday.
