Wildfires Erupt Across Greece, Prompting Evacuations

The news in Greek

1. πυρκαγιά  (f.)
   φωτιά που προκαλείται σε εκτεταμένες επιφάνειες και μπορεί να έχει καταστροφικές συνέπειες ↩︎
2. κατάσβεση  (f.)
   η διαδικασία του σβησίματος μιας φωτιάς ↩︎
3. καταστρέφω
   κάνω κάτι να χάσει την αρχική του μορφή και αξία ↩︎
4. περιοχή  (f.)
   από ένα καθορισμένο τμήμα εδάφους με συγκεκριμένα χαρακτηριστικά ↩︎
5. υποστήριξη  (f.)
   η πράξη του να παρέχεται βοήθεια ή ενίσχυση ↩︎
6. Ευρωπαϊκός
   αυτό που σχετίζεται με την Ευρώπη ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: Which areas in Greece are affected by the wildfires?

Question 2: What does Greece request from the European Union?

Vocabulary

Greek	English
πυρκαγιά  (f.)	fire
κατάσβεση  (f.)	extinguishing
καταστρέφω	destroy
περιοχή  (f.)	area
υποστήριξη  (f.)	support
Ευρωπαϊκός	European

Read the full story

Greece is grappling with an alarming surge in wildfire outbreaks, leading to significant destruction across several regions. The blazes erupted almost simultaneously on Saturday, engulfing areas such as Attica, Evia, Messinia, and Kythira, where numerous houses and vast swathes of land have been consumed by the flames.

In Attica, the fire that originated in the Drossopigi area intensified, reaching the town square of Kryoneri by afternoon. As evening descended, television broadcasts showed a distressing scene of volunteers aiding firefighters while many homes were overtaken by the inferno. Efforts to remove residents were met with resistance, as many were hesitant to abandon their properties despite the imminent danger.

The situation in Attica was compounded by smoke creating a suffocating atmosphere, with several people being hospitalized. Medical services reported that a firefighter suffered burns, an elderly woman showed symptoms of a stroke, and four individuals faced breathing difficulties, highlighting the health risks posed by the fires.

Elsewhere, massive fires in Messinia, Evia, and Kythira triggered repeated government alerts through the 112 emergency service, instructing evacuations to safer areas. Despite reinforced firefighting efforts and water drops from aircraft, the fires continued to ravage the countryside uncontrollably.

Greek authorities have requested assistance from the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism to bolster their capacity with six additional aircraft. The urgency of the situation prompted the implementation of a nationwide emergency protocol, with all civil protection resources on high alert.

Espousing the severity of the unfolding events, Fire Service spokesperson, Vassilis Vathrakogiannis, emphasized the rapid escalation of wildfires due to prevailing conditions and cautioned that such challenges are expected in the coming days.

This catastrophe emerges amidst forecasts indicating a very high risk of wildfires in Peloponnese, Central Greece, Attica, Crete, and Western Greece regions, accentuating the need for heightened vigilance.

Furthermore, a separate incident occurred near Aigio where a recycling plant caught fire, prompting urgent alerts to residents to stay indoors due to the hazardous smoke.

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