Cyprus .. Forest fires kill two people and destroy large areas of land

Two people were killed in forest fires near Limassol, the second largest city of Cyprus, which was folded by strong winds and temperatures that expected meteorology to reach 44 degrees, according to the authorities on Thursday.

Police announced that two charred bodies were found in a car believed to be burned by the fire that broke out on Wednesday afternoon.

The health authorities also said that two people were transferred to the hospital with severe burns, while 16 others received treatment of less serious injuries.

Warning of high temperature

A spokesman for the fire apparatus, Andreas Kittis, explained that the fire that started in the village of Malaya in the hills overlooking Limassol, came at 100 square kilometers of land, adding that there are no active fronts in the fire with the continued ignition of the focus in the area.

The authorities issued a warning of a severe heat in the Mediterranean island, as it is expected to reach 44 degrees Celsius.

More than 250 firefighters and 75 fire combat vehicles were deployed, while the government asked the neighboring countries to send planes to support these efforts.

Justice Minister Marius Khartisius of Cypriot Radio and Television said that Jordan has placed two fire control aircraft in a state of preparation, while two other planes are expected to arrive from Spain.

He added that 106 people were forced to spend the night in temporary housing after the evacuation of many villages with the expansion and extension of the fire.

Depriving 16 areas of electricity

It is feared that dozens of houses were damaged or destroyed by the fire, while 16 areas of electricity are deprived to operate air conditioners and cooling in the shadow of extreme heat.

“When I entered my house, I saw the mountain and the valley burning, I cried because people were burned, and a person was burned while he was in his car,” said Andonis Christo, a resident of the fire that was damaged by the village of Kando.

The head of the fire agency, Nikos Luzinos, told the Cypriot Radio and Television Authority that he had conveyed a police testimony that the fire may have started intentionally.

Cyprus face forest fires almost every year during the summer, which is usually hot and dry on the island.

In 2021, a fire in Larnaca killed 4 Egyptian farmer workers.