A strong wildfire on the Greek island of Crete has forced over 1,500 people to evacuate on Thursday, July 3.
The fire, fuelled by high-speed winds began near the village of Achlia in the Ierapetra area on the southern coast of the Greek Island on Wednesday, July 2 and spread rapidly through forests and farmland overnight, reported Sky News.
This comes as southern Europe continues to experience unusually high temperatures due to an early summer heatwave which has been described as a "silent killer."
As per the reports, at least nine people lost their lives in Europe due to this extreme heat.
Some residents were rescued by boat, while the coast guard kept six ships ready in case more sea rescues were needed.
In the meantime, mobile phone alerts were also sent to residents, telling them to leave immediately and warning them not to return to try and save their homes.
On the other hand, tourists who were evacuated were moved to a basketball arena and hotels in safer areas of the island.
Meanwhile, firefighters fought the wildfire using 230 personnel and 10 aircraft that dropped water from the sky.
Nektarios Papadakis, a civil protection official said in a statement, noting, "It's a very difficult situation. The fire is hard to contain. Right now, they cannot stop it."
As per the outlet, some people received medical treatment for breathing difficulties caused by the wildfires but there have been no reports of serious injuries.
