International
Greece wildfires continue, claims 74 lives
Raging wildfires in the Mati region of Greece continues to leave destruction in its wake as it has been confirmed that at least 74 people were killed by the inferno which swept through a resort.
Greece’s prime minister told of the “unspeakable tragedy” the country faced as many were trapped in cars and on the edge of cliffs as others were forced to jump off to survive.
One of the youngest victims was believed to be a six-month-old baby who died of smoke inhalation.
At least 187 people were injured, officials said, among those 23 children.
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“Greece is going through an unspeakable tragedy,” Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said as he appeared on television to declare three days of national mourning.
“Greece is living one of its most difficult moments,” he said. “There are absolutely no words to describe how we feel right now.”
Kostas Laganos, a middle-aged survivor compared the ordeal to the destruction of the city of Pompeii, where thousands were incinerated by the volcano of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. “I said ‘my God, we must run to save ourselves and nothing else’.”
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