The News London 365
  • Breaking News
  • Lifestyle
  • Coronavirus
  • Food
  • Politics
  • Sport
Monday, June 27, 2022
London
+10°C
Privacy Policy
Copyright
Contact us
No Result
View All Result
  • Breaking News
  • Lifestyle
  • Coronavirus
  • Food
  • Politics
  • Sport
No Result
View All Result
The News London 365
No Result
View All Result
Home Breaking News

Greece wildfires: Families reflect on devastation as homes are destroyed – ‘if my mother saw this she would cry’ | World News

The News London 365 by The News London 365
August 4, 2021
in Breaking News
0
Fires have devastated Greece

I spot George Kyriakopolous sitting in his car, the door open to blackened surroundings and smouldering earth.

To his left is his house. To the right, the one owned by his 95-year-old mother and 98-year-old father. His parents’ property is burned beyond repair. His own house is badly damaged.

George is a man in shock. He cannot believe what he is seeing. Twenty four hours earlier he was watching a wildfire at what seemed like a distance. In 10 minutes, he says, the fire was upon them in the village of Varympompi, north of Athens.

Image:
George Kyriakopolous lost his home, his parents’ home and his dog in the fire

He tells me they had to drive through the flames to get out. He is one of the few residents here who have made it back to check on their properties.

George tells me: “If my mother saw this she would cry. She would cry.”

And I think any of us would. Homes that have been lived in and cherished for years were destroyed in minutes. Land cultivated through hard work, now scorched.

Image:
The burned-out homes left behind

And this scene is repeated in street after street in this village where hundreds were forced to leave as one of the biggest wildfires in Greece this week penetrated Varympompi. Most who live here have not been allowed to return.

Image:
People have lost their homes and cars in the fires

The area is still regarded as extremely dangerous and most residents can only watch the skies from where planes and helicopters dump vast containers of water on the area and hope things will be okay.

Sadly for many of them that will not be the case. Coming back here will be traumatising. It certainly has been for Rula Mantis who shows us around the charred remains of the fruit vegetable store she runs with her boyfriend. So much of it is destroyed and she wonders how they will ever recover.

Image:
Rula Mantis’s boyfriend owns the grocers in the village that has been ruined by the fires

She’s angry the property was allowed to burn but understands fire crews faced impossible pressure.

She tells me: “It’s very hard. It’s a lot of money you have to spend to make this from the beginning. You can’t save anything. As you can see, there’s nothing left.”

The massive flames which lit up the night sky here when the fire reached its peak may have quelled now but the danger for this village isn’t over. Everywhere we drive or walk in Varympompi the ground is smouldering.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

High temperatures have caused the wildfires in Greece – with people being forced to evacuate their homes

Smoke threatens to ignite into fresh flames which on scorched earth could spread again. It is why residents are taking their fire extinguishers and buckets to douse where they can.

But they know they are up against challenging elements. Temperatures are predicted to remain high in Greece in the days to come when all villagers hope for is rain.

They also know they face the pain of seeing neighbours and friends return to a village where there will be so much pain to confront.

Previous Post

Strictly Come Dancing 2021 start date, judges and professionals as line-up announced

Next Post

Billions in Aid Remain Unclaimed as Biden Ignores Supreme Court Ruling to Extend Eviction Moratorium

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

RECENT NEWS

Road closed after lorry crashes into bridge

Road closed after lorry crashes into bridge

June 27, 2022
Schauffele wins Travelers Championship after late Theegala blunder

Schauffele wins Travelers Championship after late Theegala blunder

June 27, 2022
British GP: Hamilton’s renewed hope but can anyone stop Verstappen?

British GP: Hamilton’s renewed hope but can anyone stop Verstappen?

June 27, 2022
Jumping and flat action on competitive Monday cards

Jumping and flat action on competitive Monday cards

June 27, 2022
Beth England: My Lionesses journey | ‘Sarina has taken England to new levels’

Beth England: My Lionesses journey | ‘Sarina has taken England to new levels’

June 27, 2022
US Vice President Tests Positive for COVID-19

US Vice President Tests Positive for COVID-19

June 27, 2022

Categories

Breaking News Coronavirus Daily Devotionals Food Health and Science Lifestyle Politics Sport What's On

Recent News

Road closed after lorry crashes into bridge

Road closed after lorry crashes into bridge

June 27, 2022
The News London 365

  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright
  • Contact us
No Result
View All Result
  • Breaking News
  • Lifestyle
  • Coronavirus
  • Food
  • Politics
  • Sport

© 2022 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT