The News London 365
  • Breaking News
  • Lifestyle
  • Coronavirus
  • Food
  • Politics
  • Sport
Wednesday, June 29, 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: Thousands living in evacuation centres as flames ravage homes | World News

The News London 365 by The News London 365
August 12, 2021
in Breaking News
0
Greece wildfires: Thousands living in evacuation centres as flames ravage homes | World News

When I met Panagiotis Kratimenos, he was watching his village burn on the news.

His eyes glued to the television, he was alone in the sprawling front room of an evacuation centre.

“The smoke completely surrounded us and we couldn’t breathe,” he tells me. “Then they brought us here.”

Image:
A wildfire burns a forest in Avgaria village on Evia island, about 184 kilometers (115 miles) north of Athens, Greece. Pic: AP

Mr Kratimenos has lived in Livadaki in southwest Greece since the day he was born.

It’s his 97th summer and by far the hottest of his lifetime.

“I was born there and I will never live anywhere else,” he tells me. But the wildfires are now a very real worry.

In the last week, wildfires have ravaged Greece, with thousands evacuated. Last week, a volunteer firefighter was killed and on Sunday, British firefighters were sent to help tackle the devastating wildfires.

Twenty-one villages were evacuated overnight in this area of the Peloponnese region. The former retirement home opened as a refuge on Friday and it’s full already.

When word spread we were there, one woman came to find us to say it was British firefighters who saved her home.

Image:
Firefighters have desperately been trying to tackle the blazes as thousands have been evacuated from their homes

“I saw you and said bless you – you came here to help Greece,” said Stavroula Tselika.

“But still a huge catastrophe has happened here. In our village 28 houses burned – we counted one by one. Almost all the olive groves burned. Sheep burned. Goats burned.”

Her shock is clear as she talks about her friends who’ve lost their homes. She’s among thousands in Greece displaced, and distressed about what the future holds.

There are some who’ve chosen not to leave their homes at all. Staying against evacuation orders, thinking there’s somehow something they can do to save their property if they’re there in person.

There’s a sense of helplessness and anger. Many feel abandoned.

Image:
Care packages, with food and messages, have been sent to those forced to live in evacuation centres

The government has pledged to pay up to €150,000 (£126,979) to anyone who’s lost their home. But there’s a lack of trust in political promises and many are all too aware the wildfires will be back again next summer.

This is now a recurring nightmare.

The evacuation centre is run entirely by volunteers. While we were there supplies and donations were delivered – food parcels with messages of hope scrawled on the packaging.

Two priests paid a visit with more food and water.

Image:
Two priests visiting the evacuation centre with food and water

Without the volunteers and community support, it’s not clear what many of these people would do. Without the international effort helping Greek firefighters, the scale of the catastrophe doesn’t bear thinking about.

As dusk fell, a team of British firefighters return from another 12-hour day battling fires in the intense heat. I told them of the woman full of gratitude for their work who said they’d saved her home.

Their exhausted faces broke into smiles.

There isn’t much in the way of happy news here and this was a welcome moment. With more than 20 countries sending help to Greece, the global response has been heartening.

Previous Post

‘A Profound Miscarriage of Justice’: DOJ Lets Hospital Off the Hook After It Forced Pro-Life Nurses to Assist in Abortions

Next Post

James Arthur goes down a storm at Custom House Square

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

RECENT NEWS

Should we actually delete our period tracking apps in the UK? We ask the experts

Should we actually delete our period tracking apps in the UK? We ask the experts

June 29, 2022
How to reduce your screen time this summer, according to an expert

How to reduce your screen time this summer, according to an expert

June 29, 2022
Woman feels ‘free’ now she’s stopped shaving and is letting her beard grow

Woman feels ‘free’ now she’s stopped shaving and is letting her beard grow

June 29, 2022
Nicola Sturgeon asks courts to rule on Scottish independence vote in October 2023

Nicola Sturgeon asks courts to rule on Scottish independence vote in October 2023

June 29, 2022
Nicola Sturgeon’s two-pronged approach to gaining Scottish independence

Nicola Sturgeon’s two-pronged approach to gaining Scottish independence

June 29, 2022
Boris Johnson looks for love on the world stage

Boris Johnson looks for love on the world stage

June 29, 2022

Categories

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

Recent News

Should we actually delete our period tracking apps in the UK? We ask the experts

Should we actually delete our period tracking apps in the UK? We ask the experts

June 29, 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