In Turkey, serious forest fires have broken out in the province of Antalya. Three people were burned.
Kassel / Manavgat – In Turkey, several forest fires have broken out in the Mediterranean region of Antalya. So far these have not been brought under control. Muhittin Böcek, mayor of the city of Antalya, about 60 kilometers away, told the state news agency Anadolu that tourist areas in Turkey were not threatened. According to media reports, the smoke has meanwhile also reached parts of the Side area.
The fires themselves raged inland, it was said – and not directly on the coast, which is the destination of many holidaymakers. The situation is dramatic for residents of the region. As the Turkish newspaper Hürriyet reports, the forest fires spread to neighborhoods in Manavgat due to strong winds. After the flames reached the city center, four parts of the city were evacuated. Several houses were destroyed in the Kalemler district. The television station NTV reported that 20 buildings had burned down in one part of the city.
Forest fires in Turkey: Three people suffer serious burn injuries
According to the Turkish news agency DHA, people have been taken to safety in a hospital. Three people had to be treated with severe burn injuries. According to media reports, 62 residents had to deal with complaints due to smoke development. There is still no report about possible fatalities.
The emergency services fought the flames from the air and from the ground, according to Yigit. 19 helicopters, 103 fire engines and a total of 412 firefighters are in action, reports “Hürriyet Daily News”. Because of the wind, the extinguishing work is difficult.
Forest fires in Turkey: pictures show meter-high flames
Dark billows of smoke and meter-high flames can be seen in pictures on social networks. According to the “Hürriyet Daily News”, the cause of the fires is still unknown. District Administrator Yigit said reinforcements had been requested from other provinces. “It’s an incredibly bad sight,” said Sükrü Sözen, Mayor of Manavgat, and was appalled by the extent of the forest fires. “We literally couldn’t believe what was happening,” he added in an interview with the television station CNN Türk.
Turkey is a popular holiday destination – in addition to the forest fires in the Antalya tourist region, the industry is also suffering from the corona pandemic – travelers to Turkey must observe these rules. (ebb) * hna.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.
Headline list image: © Cevin Dettlaff / dpa
