The provisional death toll from the forest fires that ravaged the east coast of Athens, Greece, on Monday night, has been revised upwards by the authorities, to 79 dead. The announcement was made on Wednesday by Stavroula Maliri, chief of the Greek fire service, who said they continue to search the ashes in particular in the city of Mati and Kokkino Limanaki, a district of the port city of Rafina.
The devastating fires that have occurred in recent days are now almost all under the control. According to the Minister of Civil Defense Nikos Toskas, just one fire in the Gerania mountains, about seventy kilometers west of Athens, is still uncontrolled.
The death toll of 79 dead in coastal cities east of Athens could still swell, according to local officials. The search for bodies is continuing in neighborhoods that have been razed to the ground by flames. Families of dozens of people have no news of their loved ones.
Countries such as Cyprus, Romania and Italy have sent on-site help, including planes and personnel. Cypriot Christos Stylianides, European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid, arrived on the scene on Tuesday night to report on the situation. He pointed out on Twitter, that climate change was the main culprit, adding that global warming is far from being “fake news”.
