By Euronews
Published on
Police have found the bodies of two people in a burned-out car in Cyprus after a wildfire scorched 100 square kilometres of land, destroying homes and forcing the evacuation of more than a dozen villages.
Cypriot Civil Defence personnel found one body inside the vehicle on Wednesday night on the main road between fire-hit hillside villages, the police first reported.
The remains of a second person were then discovered in the same car on Thursday on the shoulder of the Monagri-Alassa road.
Two people were evacuated with extensive burns to the Nicosia General Hospital, with their condition being considered serious but not critical, according to Charalambos Harilaou, a health service spokesperson.
The fire also led to the evacuation of 14 villages along a 14-kilometre stretch of mountainous terrain.
No active front at dawn
At dawn on Thursday, fire service spokesperson Andreas Kettis said there was no active front, but stressed that the winds are expected to pick up and, combined with the intense heat, the situation will again become very dangerous.
As part of efforts to put out the blaze, up to 14 aircraft resumed water drops over hard-to-reach areas on Thursday.
Many roads remain closed, and civilian rescues are ongoing.
Kettis confirmed that “there has been significant damage to some residences”, with at least 20 homes in the village of Lofou thought to have been destroyed.
Haralambos Pittokopitis, a local official in Paphos district, said the fire was raging out of control in the triangle between Agia Varvara, Natas and Episkopi.
Pittokopitis told CYPE that the shape of the terrain, the area’s wild and dense vegetation and strong winds are making it difficult for firefighters.
Residents of Natas and Episkopi areas are helping them with their attempt to extinguish the fire.
Cypriot government spokesman Constantinos Letybiotis said Nicosia had requested support from other countries.
Spain is sending two firefighting aircraft, and Jordan is providing assistance with two of its helicopters, he said.
A British helicopter from one of the UK’s two military bases on Cyprus is also assisting, Letybiotis added.