An aircraft drops water over a wildfire in Vati village, on the Aegean Sea island of Rhodes. A third successive heat wave in Greece pushed temperatures back above 40 degrees Celsius. (Photo | AP) 
World

Wildfires rage in nine Mediterranean countries: Reports

At least 34 people have been killed in Algeria, while three have been killed in Italy's southern island of Sicily.

TNIE online desk

At least nine countries across the Mediterranean have been hit by wildfires, as thousands of firefighters battled to extinguish blazes across the region, according to reports.

The countries hit by wildfires include Greece, Algeria, France, Italy, Croatia and Tunisia.

At least 34 people have been killed in Algeria, while three have been killed in Italy's southern island of Sicily.

One of the worst affected countries is Greece where wildfires, according to Sky News, have released a record 1 megaton of carbon emissions between 1 and 25 July, the European Union's Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) said - nearly double the previous July 2007 record, with smoke plumes deteriorating air quality in regions downwind.

The Greek prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis has been quoted by The Guardian, saying: “I will state the obvious: in the face of what the entire planet is facing, especially the Mediterranean which is a climate change hotspot, there is no magical defence mechanism, if there was we would have implemented it.”

Authorities evacuated a dozen homes and a hospital in Turkey as a precaution on Tuesday after a wildfire raged through a rugged forest near the Mediterranean resort of Kemer in Antalya province, according to Sky News.

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