The number of fatalities in the devastating wildfires that have ravaged Greece for three days has risen to 60, while firefighters, with the assistance of air forces, managed to save ancient Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic Games, which was nearly engulfed by flames.
New fires are breaking out faster than the old ones can be brought under control, with 63 new fire fronts reported on Sunday. The firestorm has consumed numerous villages, forests, and farms, leaving scorched earth, sometimes covered with the carcasses of burnt animals. Nevertheless, the ancient site and archaeological museum in Olympia, which were threatened by flames on Sunday, were saved with the help of six aircraft, two helicopters, 15 vehicles, and 45 firefighters.
"The new archaeological museum has been saved, and the fire did not manage to penetrate ancient Olympia; all fire protection systems functioned," said Christos Zahopoulos, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Culture. The government declared a state of emergency on Saturday, announcing that fires are raging in much of the country. It also concluded that many of the fires were set intentionally and offered a reward of one million euros for information that would lead to the arrest of the arsonists responsible for the fires. (Hina)
