Eight people died in Turkey as wildfires forced tourists to flee beach resorts-National

Wildfire The death toll rose to eight in Turkey’s resort beach destinations Antalya and Mugla on Sunday, as more bodies were found. Residents and tourists flee the danger in small boats, while the Coast Guard and two naval vessels are waiting at sea in case a greater evacuation is required.

Authorities have warned tourists and residents to continue to evacuate the small town of Tulunk in the seaside resort of Marmaris in Mugla Province. The fire enveloped the area, and strong winds made it more difficult to put out the fire. A helicopter tried to extinguish the fire that was inaccessible by land.

As residents of villages near Marmaris asked for more help on social media, people boarded small boats with suitcases. The others waited anxiously to see if the fire would fall to the shore.

The Turkish news agency DHA said that the bodies of a Turkish-German couple were found in their burnt home in Manavgat, Antalya, bringing the total death toll in the fire that started on Wednesday to eight. The fire also spread to a village near the town, and villagers are evacuating by truck.

Earlier on Sunday, police water cannons, usually used to control riots, helped helicopters and fire trucks put out the fire in the popular Bodrum area of ​​Mugla. Turkish television shows that the fire was reignited after being extinguished earlier, and the fire and thick smoke approached a village.

Civilians tried to protect houses and olive groves, but some houses have been damaged. Social media videos showed tourists in Bodrum running along the street pushing their luggage to escape the nearby flames.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca stated that at least 27 people affected by the fire are still receiving treatment in the hospital, while hundreds of others have been released.

Forestry and Agriculture Minister Bekir Pakdemirli said on Twitter that 111 wildfires in Turkey were “controlled”. His tweet showed that wildfires have occurred in 33 provinces since Wednesday.

On Saturday, a fire rolled from the mountains to the sea. Panicked tourists were evacuated from hotels in Bodrum, including about 100 Russian tourists.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited some affected areas on Saturday and promised to help residents rebuild their homes. But social media users criticized him for arriving in Marmaris in a huge convoy, causing more traffic jams, and throwing bags of tea from his bus to people who gathered to listen to him.

Although the Turkish authorities stated that they are investigating whether the fire may have been “sabotaged” by illegal Kurdish militants, experts mostly pointed out the climate crisis, which can be seen from the sharp rise in temperature and man-made accidents. Erdogan said on Saturday that one of the fires was caused by children.

The hot air from North Africa swept through southern Europe and caused wildfires across the Mediterranean, including Sicily in Italy and western Greece. Some residents had to evacuate by boat to avoid the flames.

The Italian news agency LaPresse said that on Sunday afternoon, swimmers on an Italian beach south of the Adriatic city of Pescara fled when they noticed towering smoke and flames from a nearby pine forest fire. According to reports, several people were injured while trying to extinguish the squally flames that had reached their homes. Local officials told national television that a nursing home in Pescara must be evacuated.

On Monday, temperatures in Turkey and nearby countries in southeastern Europe are expected to climb to 42 degrees Celsius (over 107 degrees Fahrenheit) in many cities and towns. The temperature in Antalya on Sunday has reached 41 degrees Celsius (106 degrees Fahrenheit).

At the same time, in the province of Van in eastern Turkey, a small river flooded in heavy rain, and floods on the weekend destroyed at least six houses. The villagers were told to leave their homes quickly and climb higher.

Floods in northern Turkey last month killed at least six people.