Death toll rises in Greece and Italy, following devastating fires and storms
At least seven people have died in the past 24 hours in Italy following wildfires and violent storms. Three people died in the fires in Sicily, and four others lost their lives in storms in the north of the peninsula, while hundreds more were forced to flee their homes, The Guardian reports.
Though it rained in the north of the country, the heatwave in the south persisted, with temperatures of 47.6 degrees Celsius recorded in the eastern Sicilian city of Catania on Monday.
Firefighters in Sicily spent the night battling the blazes, one of which came so close to Palermo airport that the facility was closed for several hours on Tuesday morning. Italy's Civil Protection Department reported "extensive fires" in the south of the country on Tuesday, saying air support had been requested for nine incidents in Sicily, nine in Calabria and one in Sardinia.
Meanwhile, in Greece, the death toll from wildfires reaches three, the last known victim being an animal breeder, found burned in a shack, reports Reuters. Two Greek pilots died on Tuesday after their plane fighting bushfires crashed, becoming the first victims of the flames that have destroyed homes and prompted the evacuation of tourists from Rhodes.
Hundreds of firefighters, aided by forces from Turkey and Slovakia, were battling the blaze, which has been raging on the island of Rhodes since Wednesday and has resurfaced in windy and hot conditions.
Several emergency flights were due to take the tourists home.
