Displaying items by tag: Chios

A state of emergency has been declared on the Greek island of Chios as five separate wildfires, fanned by strong winds, are ravaging homes, farms, and infrastructure. The fires broke out within hours of each other, prompting the evacuation of seventeen communities. The authorities have launched an arson investigation, citing the suspicious timing and clustering of the blazes. They have caused widespread damage, destroying homes and cutting power across the island. Nearly two hundred firefighters, backed by aircraft and helicopters, are tackling the flames, with ninety more en route from Athens and Thessaloniki. Residents have joined in the firefighting effort, using buckets and makeshift equipment. This is the first major wildfire this summer for Greece, which is no stranger to devastating fires and extreme heat.

Saaremaa island, off the coast of Estonia, has been labelled by locals as ‘corona island’ after becoming a hotspot for the virus and being placed into strict quarantine. The first Covid-19 cases on Saaremaa began in March, after a sports event was held there with a team from Italy. Now health officials estimate that half of the island's population have contracted the virus. An overcrowded refugee camp on Chios had reports of an Iraqi asylum seeker dying after being cleared of having coronavirus. This caused riots and widespread damage by fire, leaving hundreds of people homeless. Many still believe she died of Covid-19. Sicily’s health services are stretched because of coronavirus, and 156 migrants on a German rescue ship were refused entry to its western coast. They had to be transferred to another vessel and quarantined.