NICOSIA (Reuters) -Two people were killed and hundreds evacuated as a massive wildfire tore through southern Cyprus, destroying homes and threatening communities amid an intense heatwave.
Firefighters were struggling to contain the blaze after it erupted in mountainous terrain north of the southern city of Limassol midday Wednesday, driven by strong winds and searing temperatures.
Overnight, two people were found dead in a burned-out vehicle, while authorities continued to struggle to evacuate people trapped in the village of Lofou, about 26 kilometres (16 miles) from Limassol.
“The situation is very difficult and the fire front is huge. All forces have been mobilised,” Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides told reporters from the scene earlier.
Temperatures on the island reached 43 degrees Centigrade (109.4 Fahrenheit) on Wednesday, triggering an amber weather alert. Conditions are expected to worsen Thursday, with highs forecast to hit 44 degrees – the hottest day of the year so far.
Firefighting aircraft were expected to be redeployed at first light after darkness forced a pause. Homes were burning in the Souni-Zanakia communities early Thursday, the fire brigade said.
Cyprus has requested help through the European Union’s civil protection mechanism, with Spain expected to send two aircraft on Thursday, government spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis said. Jordan has also pledged assistance.
Cyprus has struggled with a protracted drought, pushing scarce water resources to critically low levels. The affected area sits just north of Cyprus’s Kouris reservoir, the island’s largest. It was at just 15.5% of its capacity on Wednesday.
(Writing by Michele Kambas; Editing by Christopher Cushing)
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