Two Spanish firefighting planes start their mission in Turkey to help combat deadly wildfires

World

Published: 2021-08-04 12:34

Last Updated: 2024-03-28 07:03


Credit: AFP
Credit: AFP

Two firefighting planes sent by Spain to Turkey to help the country combat massive forest fires in its southern provinces started their mission Wednesday.

The European Union sent help to Turkey and volunteers joined firefighters in battling a week of violent blazes that have killed eight people and put pressure on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The death toll from wildfires in southern Turkey rose to eight following the discovery of two bodies on Sunday, officials said, as more people including tourists were evacuated to safety.

Turkey has suffered the worst fires in at least a decade, official data show, with nearly 95,000 hectares (235,000 acres) burned so far this year, compared with an average of 13,516 hectares at this point in the year between 2008 and 2020.

Two bodies were found in Manavgat town in Antalya province, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca tweeted.

The Turkish national and a German died in their fire-damaged home, according to state news agency Anadolu.

Since the fires broke out Wednesday, 864 people have received medical treatment, the health minister said.

Several neighbourhoods in the tourist city of Bodrum were evacuated, the mayor said Sunday, as strong winds from nearby Milas district fanned the flames.

Over 1,100 residents were taken to another part of Bodrum aboard nearly 20 boats, mayor Ahmet Aras said, since it was not possible to evacuate people by road.


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