Nea Makri is just one of the suburbs of the Greek capital to be hit by the blaze was discovered on Monday in a shop in the town of Vrilissia Firefighters have been battling outbreaks to the north east of the capital city since Sunday Conditions are expected to remain dangerous over the next few days with reporting from Jessica Parker in Athens Firefighters try to tame a wildfire in Nea Penteli near Athens We'll be closing our live coverage shortly You can read more about this story here Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'It looked like a storm was coming' to Athens visitor sayspublished at 18:47 British Summer Time 12 August 202418:47 BST 12 August 2024Rozina SiniBBC News David outside the Hellenic Parliament in Athens yesterday I’ve just spoken to David Cassidy from Belfast who flew out to Athens with his partner on Saturday When visiting the presidential palace yesterday At 04:50 local time this morning he received an emergency alert on his phone and says he has continued to get them since They plan to fly from Athens to Santorini tonight at 20:00 local time Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingExtended outages after power poles damagedpublished at 18:35 British Summer Time 12 August 202418:35 BST 12 August 2024Nikos PapanikolaouReporting from Athens has left the meeting held earlier under the governor of Attica a welfare unit in Melissia which housed 55 elderly people with disabilities has been evacuated Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingSmoke rises as some cars appear to catch firepublished at 18:24 British Summer Time 12 August 202418:24 BST 12 August 2024Jessica ParkerReporting from Athens We’re looking on at a northern suburb of Athens - from where smoke is rising Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingThe latest pictures as Greece continues its battle against wildfirespublished at 18:08 British Summer Time 12 August 202418:08 BST 12 August 2024Greece continues to mount its huge operation to tackle the wildfires as strong winds cause flare-ups in several areas Here's a look at some of the latest pictures this evening: Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingAthens' sky thick with smoke say residentspublished at 17:51 British Summer Time 12 August 202417:51 BST 12 August 2024Thomas CopelandLive reporter The BBC World Service's Outside Source has been speaking with two men in the Greek capital "This morning the people of Athens woke up at 4:40am after a message stating that certain areas in the northern suburbs of Athens needed to be evacuated," says Ioannis "There are airplanes flying over the fires and spreading water says the wildfire smoke started spreading over the city yesterday afternoon A lot of people have been very much rubbing their eyes," he says "and you can smell the smoke quite badly We know that it's about 30 minutes drive outside of Athens." Every year it's getting hotter and we're getting more and more wildfires," Martin says "The truth is that there's not enough firefighters Most of the firefighters are volunteers," he says "and even though the government says we'll be ready for the next summer it always appears that they never are." Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingWhere are the wildfires?published at 17:41 British Summer Time 12 August 202417:41 BST 12 August 2024Firefighters are battling wildfires across north-eastern Attica - with fire fronts ranging from the village of Grammatikos in the north to the suburb of Penteli Strong winds have caused continuous flare-ups in 40 different locations since the early hours of this morning The gusts of wind have also blown smoke from the wildfires over Athens - as you can see on the satellite image - where residents report breathing problems and skies filled with smoke Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingDozens of people are treated for breathing problems and one firefighter suffers burnspublished at 17:28 British Summer Time 12 August 202417:28 BST 12 August 2024Nikos PapanikolaouReporting from Athens Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingGovernor of Attica holds meeting to discuss next stepspublished at 17:14 British Summer Time 12 August 202417:14 BST 12 August 2024Nikos PapanikolaouReporting from Athens is holding a meeting this afternoon to discuss the latest wildfire developments the mayors and the vice mayors of the affected areas and representatives from the municipalities of Penteli will participate in the meeting to decide the next steps In the latest update by the fire brigade spokesperson Vassilis Vathrakogiannis said the critical fronts are in Ntaou Pentelis The situation looks better in Afidnes and Kalendzi but new flare-ups remain a problem as they create new fronts which are strengthened by the strong winds There are currently 702 firefighters and 119 vehicles and volunteers operating along 17 aircrafts and 18 helicopters Thirty messages have been sent for area evacuations many animals have been burned - including dogs and cats Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingTourists wait in Athens airport unsure of their next movepublished at 16:52 British Summer Time 12 August 202416:52 BST 12 August 2024Rachel FlynnLive reporter Nicole says the air became "unbreathable" around her accommodation I've just been speaking to Nicole Nitu who was staying in the town of Nea Makri before being evacuated this afternoon describes walking into the garden of her accommodation at 06:30 local time (04:30 GMT) this morning to see smoke less than 100m away When looking online for information she says she was reassured the area was safe before receiving an alert on her phone and evacuating four hours later They are now all waiting at Athens airport Another member of the group tells me: "There's no safety plan here Unable to change their flights and unsure where else is safe Nicole says there is not enough clear information from authorities on what to do next “We really just want to be told what we need to do and where we need to go," she says Nicole took this at 13:00 local time on the way to Athens airport from Nea Makri Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingGet in touchpublished at 16:33 British Summer Time 12 August 202416:33 BST 12 August 2024Have you been affected by the wildfires Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingFrance and Italy send aircrafts to control firespublished at 16:16 British Summer Time 12 August 202416:16 BST 12 August 2024Nikos PapanikolaouReporting from Athens Romania and the Czech Republic after Greece requested the activation of a European cooperation mechanism France will send a Super Puma helicopter tomorrow and Italy a Canadair aircraft while the Czech Republic is sending 75 firefighters along with 25 vehicles Assistance from Spain and Turkey is also expected The fire has now been burning for more than 24 hours and the firefighters are still struggling to control it Aircrafts only have two hours left until the sunset - after that they must land and the firefighting operation will be exclusively on the firefighters and the fire trucks on the ground A firefighting helicopter had to land earlier due to a mechanical failure Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingWatch: Wildfires spread towards Greek capitalpublished at 16:06 British Summer Time 12 August 202416:06 BST 12 August 2024As we've been reporting thousands of residents are being evacuated from their homes as a large wildfire spreads towards Athens Emergency services say houses caught alight in Varnavas about 20 miles north-east of the Greek capital with high temperatures and strong winds expected to persist over the coming days Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingFlights continue despite wildfire nearbypublished at 15:42 British Summer Time 12 August 202415:42 BST 12 August 2024Christopher BlanchettBBC senior weather presenter Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingGreece appeals for international helppublished at 15:26 British Summer Time 12 August 202415:26 BST 12 August 2024Nikos PapanikolaouReporting from Athens Greece has appealed for international help to fight a severe wildfire that is approaching the northern outskirts of Athens with France also providing a Super Puma utility helicopter and the Czech Republic sending 75 firefighters and 25 vehicles We are also hearing that the facilities of the National Observatory of Athens in Penteli are under threat as the flame continues moving closer to the Greek capital Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'The air is suffocating' says Greek journalistpublished at 15:12 British Summer Time 12 August 202415:12 BST 12 August 2024Image source EPA"It is really hard to breathe when you are there," a Greek journalist has told the BBC's Newshour programme "In some areas the air is suffocating and you can see black smoke surrounding houses and neighbourhoods," says Ioannis Papadopoulos Residents at the front line of the blaze told Papadopoulos that "they live in fear" "Every summer they worry that a new fire might erupt and that they might be in danger," he says "In a wildfire what is crucial is the first response how fast the firefighting teams reach the spot and try to suppress the fire," says Papadopoulos Whilst firefighters reportedly reached the initial blaze in just five minutes "what we can see is this was not enough" "I think the problem is when our firefighting teams have to deal with two or three fires at the same time in different parts of Greece," he adds Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingSchool engulfed in flames as wildfires continue to flare uppublished at 14:58 British Summer Time 12 August 202414:58 BST 12 August 2024Nikos PapanikolaouReporting from Athens A school in Nea Penteli is now on fire - with residents complaining that there are not enough fire trucks and firefighters to help A new message from the 112 Emergency Communications Service has been to the residents of Dionysos to evacuate north-west toward Kifissia Houses and properties are on fire in the areas of Ano Vrilissia Chalandri is 8.8 km away from Athens' centre Vrilissia residents are calling for assistance as the flames are really close to their properties the operation remains extremely difficult as the winds remain strong and there are constant flare ups Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingHow is climate change affecting wildfires in the Mediterranean?published at 14:48 British Summer Time 12 August 202414:48 BST 12 August 2024Mark PoyntingClimate reporter long-lasting heat draws moisture out of the ground and vegetation Read more on the links between extreme weather and climate change here Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingGreece requests assistance from Croatia and Spain to help tackle firespublished at 14:39 British Summer Time 12 August 202414:39 BST 12 August 2024Nikos PapanikolaouReporting from Athens The Greek authorities have officially requested assistance from Croatia and Spain to help with the firefighting operation There are explosions from parked cars and fuel tanks in properties which are creating new flare ups - the pressure of the water in the affected areas is getting low a very high risk of fire (risk category 4) is predicted for the regions of Attica and Central Greece Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingIn pictures: battling the flames from land and airpublished at 14:25 British Summer Time 12 August 202414:25 BST 12 August 2024As we've been reporting Greece has mounted a huge operation to tackle the wildfires that are approaching Athens Here's a look at some of the firefighters and volunteers battling the flames Volunteers are putting out smaller fires themselves 17 helicopters and 15 airplanes are making water drops You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed A fast-moving wildfire broke out Sunday outside Athens Residents of Marathon -- the birthplace of the Marathon race approximately 30 km from Marathon -- were asked to move towards the neighboring beach town of Nea Makri 11 (Xinhua) -- Greek authorities on Sunday ordered the evacuation of more than 30,000 residents of Marathon town due to a fast-moving wildfire outside Athens fuelled by hot and windy weather Residents of Marathon -- the birthplace of the Marathon race -- were asked to move towards the neighboring beach town of Nea Makri according to the Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Ministry following the evacuation of six settlements in the area Facilities of the Athens Olympic Athletic Center -- the main venue of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games approximately 30 km from Marathon -- were opened to host many of the evacuees overnight Eight people were transferred to hospitals with mainly respiratory problems according to the latest information provided by health ministry officials firefighters were trying to contain the front which extends several kilometers in northeastern Attica region and thick plumes of smoke from the blaze have covered a large part of Athens The smoke has also reached as far as about 100 km from Varnavas which reached up to eight on the Beaufort scale Approximately 400 firefighters supported by 29 water-dropping airplanes and helicopters military squads and many volunteers have been working to contain the front fire brigade spokesperson Vassilis Vathrakogiannis told a press briefing in Athens "The situation remains dangerous as the fire is spreading between residences," he said adding that the blaze spread "like lightning" due to gale force winds Flames as high as 25 meters swallowed up trees and shrubland breaking out earlier on Sunday near Megara town in western Attica and local officials reported some damage to houses firefighting forces have responded to 40 wildfires across Greece firefighters had quickly extinguished 33 of the 40 fires that broke out in the previous 24 hours Authorities have advised people to remain on alert these days as high temperatures in several regions may increase fire risk there the fire brigade has responded to dozens of wildfire fronts every day Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias said he had called for emergency measures involving the army police and volunteers to deal with forest fires until Aug "Extremely high temperatures and dangerous weather conditions will prevail," he said Following a winter that was the warmest on record and a period of prolonged drought Greece also experienced its hottest June and July and is forecast to record its hottest-ever summer Greece experiences numerous wildfires each summer in connection to heatwaves and arson two people have lost their lives in wildfires while 20 were reported dead last year.■ A fire that erupted northeast of Athens on Sunday has spread to Mount Penteli prompting the evacuation of several settlements and has sent thick smoke clouds over the city Civil Protection issued an emergency 112 alert to residents of Palaia Penteli advised Nea Penteli residents to evacuate towards Melissa and those in Palaia Penteli to move towards Vrilissia and Damarasi in Rafina to evacuate towards Marathonos Avenue another alert was issued for residents in Daou Penteli and Agios Spiridonas Residents of Anthoussa were advised to be on standby with a message sent at 5.45 a.m residents of the Anatoli settlement were instructed to move towards Nea Makri The Penteli Children’s Hospital and the 414 Military Hospital have also been evacuated according to fire brigade spokesperson Vassilis Vathrakogiannis “I was told to leave; the situation is out of control There are gas cylinders and an oil tank inside the house the result of a lifetime of hard work,” a Rapendosa resident Enter your information below to receive our weekly newsletters with the latest insights opinion pieces and current events straight to your inbox The wildfire that broke out in Varnavas on Sunday afternoon continued to rage in Eastern Attica on Monday morning fanned and spread to a front extending more than 20 kilometres by incessantly strong winds of 7-8 Beaufort According to an update from the fire department on Monday morning the fire-fighting effort is extremely difficult as the wind keeps changing direction while the three main fronts of concern are in Grammatiko Penteli and the Anatoli settlement in Nea Makri The forces deployed against the flames have been increased to 560 fire fighters with 16 teams of forest commandos and 177 vehicles while 32 aircraft (17 airplanes and 15 helicopters) are operating from the air Evacuation orders were issued since the early hours of Monday morning for the areas of Nea and Palia Penteli Authorities have also evacuated two hospitals in Penteli and the monasteries of Agios Ephraim and of Penteli The police have assisted in the evacuation of dozens of people at risk from the fires One fire-fighter was injured while fighting the fire in Marathon suffering 2nd degree burns to his hands and legs and was taken first to the Nea Makri health centre and then to the 251 Air Force General Hospital The devastating wildfire engulfed the historic Monastery of Panagia Axion Esti a cherished institution of the Archdiocese of Athens located in the Varnava area with the fire rapidly advancing through residential areas and causing significant damage the extent of the destruction became apparent revealing damage to the monastery’s grounds The Monastery of Panagia Axion Esti is of exceptional cultural and religious importance housing valuable treasures and ecclesiastical relics belonging to the Archdiocese of Athens and its associated institutions Despite the swift response from the fire brigade which deployed the first firefighting planes within five minutes of the fire’s onset and ground forces within ten minutes the strong winds exacerbated the situation turning the blaze into a massive wildfire with multiple fronts the Civil Protection Authority issued evacuation orders to residents of nearby settlements The fire continues to pose a significant threat to both the historic monastery and the surrounding communities The Monasteries of Saint Ephraim in Nea Makri and Penteli have been evacuated as a massive uncontrollable wildfire continues to rage across Northern Attica has created a front spanning over 20 kilometers with shifting winds complicating firefighting efforts A force of 510 firefighters has been deployed to combat the blaze which has proven difficult to contain due to the unpredictable wind conditions a total of 32 aerial firefighting vehicles—comprising 17 helicopters and 15 aircraft—are actively engaged in operations across multiple fire fronts in the region efforts are focused on safeguarding both lives and properties as well as the preservation of these historic monastic sites The Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate approved on October 4th the canonization of Eldress Sophia Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew traveled by air to Antalya the Patriarchate of Jerusalem solemnly celebrated the Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women... Archbishop Elpidophoros of America celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Monastery of the Theotokos.. it was announced that two Roman Catholic institutions in Bavaria have decided to jointly.. (function() { window.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || { listeners: [] cb) { window.mc4wp.listeners.push( { event : evt callback: cb } ); } } }})(); © 2023 OrthodoxTimes.com - All rights reserved Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website These cookies do not store any personal information Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website ATHENS — A massive wildfire fueled by gale-force winds is burning out of control on the outskirts of Athens Monday and is forcing mass evacuations Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis flew back to Athens cutting short his vacation on the island of Crete The wildfire on the northern outskirts of the Greek capital broke out early Sunday afternoon and the flames have already destroyed an area more than 30 kilometers long, reviving bitter memories from 2018 when 104 people died in the seaside town of Mati outside Athens backed up by more than 30 water-bombing planes and 190 fire trucks were battling the large blazes on the northern outskirts of Athens but the winds repeatedly changed direction Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias said the state's response was immediate and the first planes were deployed five minutes after the fire broke out which started about 35 kilometers north of Athens had by Monday reached the village of Grammatiko the seaside community of Nea Makri and the outskirts of the capital's densely populated northern suburbs on Mount Penteli A thick blanket of smoke covered the Athens sky two monasteries and a children's home were evacuated Authorities in nearby suburbs opened a sports hall and also offered rooms in hotels for evacuees while other districts are on standby for possible evacuation while several citizens were treated in hospitals for smoke inhalation although the exact extent was not immediately clear Opposition parties demand probe into links between a PR company and the New Democracy party of PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis Athens has 13 open cases into alleged human rights violations involving migrants the single largest number of incidents across the bloc nearly 34,000 fewer people attempted to enter the EU illegally in the first three months of 2025 compared to 2024 Greece has the highest number of open investigations on its practices across the European Union The areas on the southeastern and eastern side of Mount Penteli which have burned repeatedly in the last 30 years The part of the mountain that faces the towns of Nea Makri Penteli and Dioni are areas that have been greatly affected by so many fires “These are areas that had regenerated naturally in the last 15 years meaning they were at the point where a forest can survive and manage to regenerate again everything was destroyed,” Nicos Georgiadis forester and president of WWF Greece’s terrestrial program The data on the wildfires that broke out in Attica in the last 30 years show that eastern Attica is an area that has burned again and again with the names of the same settlements repeatedly appearing in the Fire Service’s information bulletins in 2007 Dealing with blazes in the mountains surrounding Athens appears to be a Sisyphean task ‘This fire is the tombstone for many parts of eastern Attica soil is lost and nature loses its strength it cannot support new vegetation,’ says forester Nicos Georgiadis Georgiadis says that the conditions that spawned the latest fires were obviously extreme and the flames moved very quickly traveling 35 kilometers in just a few hours you have to be able to somehow ensure that you protect the reforestation It’s a lot of money and it takes a lot of effort from a lot of people and everything is destroyed within 10 hours,” he says “This fire is the tombstone for many parts of eastern Attica Georgiadis says that these are often stopped because of the excessive zeal of people who have nothing to do with fire prevention “People need to understand that to protect a mountain you may have to sacrifice a part of its greenery When [prevention] projects are carried out we receive many complaints – I imagine others receive them too – about those interventions with the result that some of them are not completed precisely because of the reactions.” In the new climate conditions interventions are needed and there must be good planning and coordination “It is obvious that we are not succeeding in protecting Pentelikon with what we are doing today,” he adds The section of the northern side of Mount Penteli which the flames reached in this last blaze had mature pine forests which had not burned for many years and thus they are likely to regenerate naturally He also explains that the blaze that started on August 11 near Varnavas (35 km north of Athens) and reached the other side of Mount Penteli has many common characteristics with the wildfire of 2009 in the same area so this knowledge can help authorities set up zones of defense in the areas which fires may reach much more is required to deal with wildfires due to the extreme conditions that we are witnessing with increasing frequency Forester Giorgos Karetsos attributes the magnitude of the disaster to the lack of forest management in Attica over many years “Natural regeneration cannot be left unmanaged we should not leave more than 15 of the small saplings that emerge after a fire in every 1,000 square meters the forest that grows will be very dense and vulnerable to a new blaze,” he tells Kathimerini “No one goes into the forest to remove the excess amount of combustible debris.” The forest service that should normally manage this task “has few employees and those who are left deal with technical work Now they no longer have the experience to do it,” he explains the type of vegetation in Attica has changed over the years But now there are pine trees everywhere,” Karetsos says Greece on Sunday ordered thousands of people to evacuate as firefighters battled a spate of wildfires and experts warned of more extreme weather to come next week Firefighters were battling a “dangerous” fire near Athens on Sunday night with smoke covering parts of the capital in a dark haze The emergency services issued evacuation orders in several towns including the historic site of Marathon Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis cut short his holiday and returned to Athens Sunday evening to deal with the crisis firefighters had quickly dealt with 33 out of the 40 blazes that had broken out in the past 24 hours fire brigade spokesman Vassilis Vathrakogiannis told the press at an emergency briefing But the force was battling seven more in the high Mediterranean summer heat Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias had warned that half the country was under a high-risk warning for fires due to high temperatures The authorities ordered residents of the historic town of Marathon 40 kilometres (25 miles) east of Athens to evacuate towards the beach town of Nea Makri because of a wildfire burning since Sunday afternoon In the East Attica region near the capital a blaze in the Varnavas area spread to a pine forested zone with scattered houses giving off so much smoke that Athens glowed red at one point Hundreds of people fled at least eight nearby villages while other battled to save their houses from the fire by trying to douse the flames “The situation remains dangerous given the fact the fire is raging in an area with houses and has provoked damages,” said Vathrakogiannis “The strong winds spread it in a flash with new fronts behind the containment lines,” he added A force of more than 400 firefighters backed by 110 vehicles 29 firefighting aircraft and helicopters was deployed to battle the flames which “in many cases reached more than 25 metres high” Firefighters and forest commandos were expected to continue the battle all night long Eugenia told AFP she was afraid of what might happen in the night “Every year we have to escape from our houses,” she said speaking from the saddle of her motorbike fresh from checking up on her cats The fire brigade spokesman said they had had to rescue many trapped civilians because they refused to leave their homes despite the evacuation messages a village near the fire front that in Greek means “many trees” I have 200 olive trees there but now they are gone,” the 48-year-old said Another fire that erupted earlier on Sunday afternoon in Megara was partially contained after destroying at least three houses and cars Forty-eight firefighters equipped with 13 vehicles and additional volunteers were working on the ground a fire in the Lagadas area was partially under control 10 vehicles and one helicopter at the scene Temperatures are forecast to peak at 39 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit) in Greece on Monday with the highest temperatures expected in the west of the country Winds in some areas reached 80 to 90 kilometres per hour Sunday greatly complicating the work of the firefighters The Mediterranean country is exceptionally vulnerable to summer blazes Greece also experienced its hottest June and July since reliable data collection began in 1960 It registered its earliest recorded heatwave in June Scientists warn that human-induced fossil fuel emissions are worsening the length frequency and intensity of heatwaves across the world The rising temperatures are leading to longer wildfire seasons and increasing the area burnt in the flames according to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Firefighting efforts are ongoing through the night to control wildfires in northeast Attica primarily affecting the Mount Penteli and Lake Marathon areas with decreased winds and a less active fire front The most challenging situation is in Nea Makri where the fire has surged near the Erythros settlement and is approaching Agios Ephraim Mayor Stergios Tsirkas reported that flames had reached the yards of several homes in Erythros but were quickly contained by firefighters Authorities issued an evacuation alert for the settlement via the 112 emergency system international assistance is arriving through the European Civil Protection Mechanism and Romania are expected to join the firefighting efforts today While progress has been made in some areas including improvements on the New Makri front firefighters and volunteers remain vigilant for potential reignitions Mayor Tsirkas has called the situation in Erythros particularly dangerous as the fire continues to threaten residential areas Eleni Exarchou steps out out of her house and onto the street speaking almost absently to anyone willing to listen.We are in Agios Georgios a suburb lined with houses nearly reduced to rubble where only the walls remain standing.At 9 a.m. speaking almost absently to anyone willing to listen hasn't yet found the strength to consider what comes next still grappling with the reality that her entire ground floor is suddenly uninhabitable – and that only sheer luck and a neighbor who jumped the fence with a hose saved the rest of her house but she clung to the hope that they wouldn't reach her home Eleni's kitchen has been reduced to rubble "We had to leave immediately because the smoke was coming burning the entire ground floor and breaking all the windows and doors There was smoke everywhere; we couldn't do anything," she recounts The fire had swept through the area at midnight on Sunday into Monday Between Sunday afternoon and Tuesday morning residents in northern Athens received no less than 12 emergency alerts on their phones warning them of the fire's rapid spread and urging evacuation Never before in Greece's history had a fire come so close to the city burning houses in neighborhoods near the center like Chalandri or Vrilissia the frail silhouette of an old man watches us suspiciously "This house was built with the sweat of my parents and our own But the car speeds away without a response leaving only dust and soot swirling in its wake and the political parties – that’s all we've received It had been threatened before – but this was the first time the flames had actually touched it "This was the fifth time the fire came toward us more than 470 hectares of national forest land have been allocated by the government to the Oltenia Energy Complex (CEO) for the expansion or opening of new coal mines PressOne reviews the main dysfunctions in the production consumption and distribution of energy from renewable sources as revealed by discussions with consumers and data provided by official sources at the request of our editorial office Eleni recounts how the firefighters arrived late 12 hours after the fire had already been extinguished by a change in the wind she clutches the house keys in her fist as if they were a precious treasure Revista PresseiUn newsletter pentru cititori curioși și inteligenți Two bottles of paint now decide the fate of the remaining homes The scene is surreal as officials from the Ministry of Civil Protection in crisp t-shirts and caps bearing the ministry's logo They stand in stark contrast to the residents who sift through soot-covered debris with weary hands salvaging what little remains of their lives In the 12 hours we spent passing through many of the villages and towns affected by the massive fire on Sunday and Monday we heard the story of the Exarchou family in countless variations On the hills between Nea Makri and Marathon two houses still standing in the middle of a desert of soot and burnt tree trunks This is the fourth fire he's lived through "That's why we knew how to help ourselves," he says points to the path of destruction left by the wildfire in Nea Makri My son left the house and ran to the village A municipal worker in Nea Makri continues to douse the ground with water fighting to extinguish the remaining hot spots left by the destructive wildfires that have swept through East Attica since Sunday Two volunteer firefighters from the village committee (Σύλλογος Καλεντζίου) took care of putting out the fire in their area by which time the fire in the area had already been extinguished because the winds had died down It's his version of the answer to the question that has been on the front pages of newspapers these days: how was it possible for the fire to enter the city the massive fire on Sunday reached Athens in less than 24 hours "Kikilias (the Greek minister of Civil Protection nr.) should resign Firefighters came from all over Greece and didn't know the roads under the eyes of tourists lounging on sunbeds fire-fighting helicopters come from the mountains trying to extinguish the last remaining fires and prevent new ones from starting The National Observatory of Greece reported that the fire had destroyed approximately 10,000 hectares of land less than 10 kilometers from downtown Athens Over 100 houses were affected by the fire that broke out on Sunday Greece has managed over 3,500 fires since the beginning of May an increase of nearly 50% compared to the same period in 2023 less than 10 kilometers from the center of Athens More than 100 homes were affected by the flames of the fire that broke out on Sunday people say that when the flames were burning around them and the fire was spreading almost unbelievably fast toward the city those same helicopters that now fill the sky were nowhere to be found firefighters say that extinguishing the fire would have been extraordinarily difficult is one of the Romanian firefighters who participated in the operation on Sunday and Monday This is the fourth year that Romania has sent personnel and equipment to control the fires in Greece through the European Civil Protection Mechanism 40 firefighters arrived in the first group and another 44 left Romania on Tuesday morning A Romanian firefighter stands outside the fire station in Nea Makri after assisting in the ongoing battle against the wildfire that broke out in East Attica on Sunday He says that fires in Greece are extremely complicated compared to those in Romania because forests burn in Greece The flames can reach up to 25 meters in height On either side of the winding roads that connect the towns and villages in the northeast of Athens smoke still rising from small smoldering spots – which people are now extinguishing with buckets under the sweltering midday heat But nothing prepares you for the sight of the Marathon Dam now nothing more than a concrete wall in a lunar landscape cautiously stepping into their burned-out homes and trying to piece together plans for the future The Exarchou family understands this well – Eleni's two sons have already started to rebuild their parents' house The fire caught Marilena while she was on vacation in Ioannina – she had to rush back to Athens to help her in-laws her beautiful nails the only proof of her leisure days Her eyes are red from smoke and exhaustion her hands are hidden behind rubber gloves as she nostalgically recalls her time studying in Scotland and working in Brussels you build the infrastructure to ensure access in case of a fire some houses here were saved only because of the wind The only good preventive step they took was the phone alarm that told us to evacuate That's the only thing the government did – tell people to evacuate And I have no idea when or how much compensation we might receive." And the worst part is the lack of accountability Marilena picks up her bucket again and returns to work clearing away the charred remnants of your life – fragments of documents and appliances that now look like something out of a post-apocalyptic movie rather than a home near Athens you start scrubbing the soot from the walls "When my parents were building the second floor of the house I was playing on the ground floor," Iannis recalls as he wipes down the walls and his brother Nikos have all begun the daunting task of repairing their parents' home while their ailing father rests in the upstairs rooms they've managed to cram in the few belongings that could be saved The haphazard way these items are arranged makes it seem as if the family is either planning a move or preparing for a spring cleaning Attica has burned multiple times around the suburbs So where's the protection from the state?" Marilena asks rhetorically and a team from ΔΕΔΔΗΕ removes the burned cables and installs new ones "The power is back!" someone yells in the neighborhood later in the presence of the President of the Hellenic Republic and the Prime Minister the new 3.83-hectare Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Hellenic Fire Corps Training Center was inaugurated at the site of the former US military base in Nea Makri The event presented the new Training Center premises which include 20 buildings with administrative areas and living quarters These new outdoor structures include a training course for urban search and rescue a burn building for live fire training with live fire training props; a climbing wall that resembles a building façade Take a video tour of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Hellenic Fire Corps Training Center The grant for the creation of the Training Center is part of SNF’s longstanding support to the Hellenic Fire Corps from 1996 through today amounting to €41 million in grants for construction projects SNF has supported the Hellenic Fire Corps with grants for the procurement of 15 fire trucks and a Super Puma helicopter that have been used repeatedly during the devastating wildfires that have ravaged the country in recent years the Super Puma helicopter is used in air ambulances services to transport rescuers and medical evacuees from remote areas of the country SNF has sought to provide the members of the Hellenic Fire Corps with personal protective equipment to ensure that they have the best possible protection in emergency situations SNF has also supported the construction of a training center for the 1st Special Disaster Response Units (EMAK) Recent forest fires in areas of Greece that traditional firefighting vehicles can’t reach have highlighted the need for aerial intervention by specialized teams that can get to remote and otherwise inaccessible areas members of the Special Forestry Operations Units recently traveled to Spain to attend a helicopter forest-fire-fighting training program There they gained experience in firefighting strategies and tactics boarding and disembarking safely from a hovering helicopter Fire Corps instructors participated in a program for the management of hazardous materials and fire behavior in enclosed spaces at the Fire Service College in Moreton-in-Marsh training the rest of the Corps upon their return SNF also supported a training program on forest fires with the British Columbia Wildfire Service in Canada with participants training their colleagues in Greece upon returning "The new Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Hellenic Fire Corps Training Center inaugurated today in Nea Makri has arrived to give substance to a yearslong dream—to the expectations of every firefighter—by providing modern and complete training based on the latest technologies and scientific data The training provided will equip them with the tools necessary to make sure they are ready to face the challenges of the moment in carrying out their mission with its modern training tools and state-of-the-art equipment will cover all the training needs of the Fire Corps personnel a valuable contribution is the large grant from SNF which has been supporting the Fire Corps for many years We owe a big thank you to the Co-President and the members of the Board of Directors of the Foundation but also to all those who contributed to making the dream come true We have to give all the support necessary to have a well-trained staff with knowledge and appropriate tools to successfully carry out the important work that the Greek state has entrusted to us With the creation of the modern training center "On behalf of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) I would like to express our joy and pride in being here today We would like to thank the Fire Corps first and foremost for the trust in us they have shown in working together and for the opportunity they have given us to contribute to such an important project The times we live in are particularly difficult for everyone with natural and man-made disasters taking place with increased frequency around the world and in Greece the demands placed on the Fire Corps are also increasing since its mission is primarily to protect our lives We as members of the public unfortunately mostly take it for granted that the Fire Corps will always be there to face any danger And we often forget that firefighters are people too but above all they require support in order to be able to perform their difficult work In order to have a fire corps that is capable and prepared we need to provide the necessary tools and the best possible training for its personnel A modern training center like the one we are in today is the bedrock the Fire Corps as an institution and especially its people stand on so that they can offer their critical services to society *Turn on subtitles using the "CC" button at the bottom of the video player to once again warmly thank the Stavros Niarchos Foundation and Andreas Dracopoulos personally for another important grant to the Greek state The Stavros Niarchos Foundation has supported the Fire Corps over the years the Foundation decided to make an important additional grant to support the Fire Corps whenever we think about the best way to use such donations our minds usually go to infrastructure: to planes Because of course firefighters are dedicated and committed to protecting human life protecting property and the natural environment But we who see things from the outside forget how difficult your job is And that is why I think it is so important that a large part of this additional donation of €25 million has been directed precisely to the construction of a state-of-the-art training center—as you can see—so that our firefighters can have the best and most professional training in order to carry out the difficult task that we have entrusted to them among the members of the Fire Corps who perform the duty of civil protection with dedication and professionalism which was implemented with the generous assistance of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation and which we are inaugurating will provide them with modern tools to face the serious challenges associated with their mission By emphasizing experiential training methods based on both Greek operational needs and internationally applied practices in firefighting and rescue the Center will contribute to a substantial upgrade of civil protection in our country and will be the incubator of a new generation of fully trained and educated firefighters Courage has never been lacking among Greek firefighters By creating modern infrastructure and giving them the right equipment we are strengthening them in their invaluable mission for which we are all grateful Congratulations to all those who have made this vision a reality and good luck in the great work of our Fire Corps." Photos credit: George Xigos & Giorgos Xanthinakis   Niarchos Foundation for Charity conducts its activities as the Stavros Niarchos Foundation and is known as SNF SNF does not necessarily share the views or opinions of the nonprofit organizations that it supports or otherwise assists or of the participants in SNF programming such as SNF Dialogues and SNF Nostos and no inference of any endorsement of such views or opinions is warranted Audio and video recordings of SNF programming are made available without charge on the SNF website as a courtesy to the public The factual accuracy of statements made by participants not employed by SNF or its affiliates is solely the responsibility of the participants or the institutions or organizations they represent SNF is audited by Grant Thornton and complies with all applicable laws and regulations in all relevant jurisdictions The jet-setting PM only returned from a week at a Slovenian spa last Sunday – and now locals have spotted him and wife Carrie in a supermarket in Greece As can be seen in the videos secured by Proto Thema Johnson was in a Nea Makri supermarket and shopped followed by his security guard He was immediately noticed by those present who raised their mobile phones to record him.- while a female voice is heard saying “Hi” Boris Johnson in a friendly mood raised his hand and said Hi too was also caught on camera with him in front of the supermarket’s refrigerators https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=731obOKdTr4 did his shopping himself at the local supermarket chain and he tried to ask himself in broken Greek if there was semi-skimmed milk Boris Johnson paid for the products he bought himself and on his way out got into one of his security vehicles that were waiting for him outside the supermarket It is recalled that Boris Johnson and his family maintain special ties with Greece and a wonderful country house in Pelion A post shared by Stanley Johnson (@stanleyjohnson) The house is built with the traditional Pelion architecture and has four bedrooms It is noted that Boris Johnson is a lover of Greek culture and even speaks ancient Greek It is recalled that a sample of his knowledge of Greek was demonstrated at the United Nations General Assembly on climate change in April 2021 “Sophocles said:” πολλὰ τὰ δεινὰ κοὐδὲν ἀνθρώπου δεινότερον πέλει ” The person “suffers” and the word “fearful” is not the correct translation of the word “suffering” Sophocles meant that the human species is beautiful The phrase used by Boris Johnson comes from Sophocles’ Antigone and in modern Greek it is translated as “many are terrible things but nothing is more terrible than man” wanting to point out that all people are capable of good READ MORE: Claudia Schiffer: “Greece was calling my name” – New photos from her vacation your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society Europe's water is under increasing pressure floods are taking their toll on our drinking water Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters and to discover some of the best water solutions an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters We give you the latest climate facts from the world’s leading source analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt Greek firefighters say they have contained a wildfire that prompted overnight evacuations at a resort northeast of Athens Local officials said a few houses on the outskirts of Nea Makri had suffered fire damage The large forest fire did however burnt brushwood and pines in the area around 38 kilometres northeast of the capital More than 150 firefighters and volunteers battled through the night using hoses and excavators to tackle the blaze They were joined early on Tuesday morning by two water-dropping planes and one helicopter much of central and southern Greece suffered widespread damage from wildfires which ravaged forests and destroyed hundreds of homes on the island of Evia and on the northern fringes of Athens The blazes followed days of the country's worst heatwave in decades which left the countryside parched and tinder dry Hundreds of firefighters are battling a fierce blaze in northeast Attica that ignited Sunday afternoon in Varnavas and has since spread to Penteli Despite the extensive efforts of emergency services The fire service reported early Monday that despite "superhuman efforts," the blaze has grown uncontrollable A dramatic illustration of the crisis emerged as 29 children were evacuated from the Penteli Children's Hospital Emergency alerts have been issued throughout the affected area Residents have been advised to evacuate immediately as the fire engulfed homes One resident from Rapentosa described the devastation The Hellenic Police has urged citizens to avoid affected areas and adhere strictly to evacuation orders to allow emergency services to operate unimpeded Traffic diversions are in place across eastern Attica to facilitate firefighting efforts Fire service spokesman Vassilis Vathrakogiannis stated that the fire has advanced to the Penteli Mountains prompting multiple evacuation messages early Monday for settlements including Old and New Penteli additional alerts were issued for Anthousa and Anatoli where firefighting helicopters are actively engaged strong winds are exacerbating the situation affecting numerous roads including Mikrochori Avenue with regional Governor Nikos Chardalias overseeing operations from the Mobile Operational Center in Kapandriti the OAKA stadium facilities are open to evacuees the Greek Chamber of Hotels has established a platform for temporary accommodations Interested parties can apply online or contact the provided hotline for assistance The Civil Protection Agency continues to monitor the situation closely providing resources and coordination to manage this severe emergency Following completion of technical studies by Betaplan Architects & Planners, issuance of the building permit, and a tender process to select a contractor to build the new training center, Ballian Techniki, the company chosen by the Fire Corps to carry out the project, has now started preliminary work on the site. According to the planned timeline, the SNF Hellenic Fire Corps Training Center will be completed within 12 months. SNF is audited by Grant Thornton and complies with all applicable laws and regulations in all relevant jurisdictions. ©2023, Stavros S. Niarchos Foundation for Charity A 63-year-old woman in Kos died on the back of farm pick-up truck due to ambulance shortage, and a 19-year-old pregnant woman in Nea Makri died while waiting for an ambulance The donations of the Greeks in Australia and America, for three out of the four ambulances that currently exist on the island of Kos in Greece, seem to have gone to waste, after a tragic incident. A 63-year-old woman died on the back of a farm truck, as there was no ambulance available to take her to hospital. Speaking to Greek TV channel SKAI the woman’s nephew mentioned that the unfortunate incident took place during her granddaughter’s birthday party, last Sunday, June 4. Suddenly, she experienced a severe headache and collapsed. While doctors that happened to be at the scene provided first aid, the family called for an ambulance, only to be informed that the only available EKAV ambulance was occupied with another emergency. As a result, it was decided that the 63-year-old woman, would be transported to the hospital using a non-medical vehicle (farm pick-up truck), accompanied by a patrol car to expedite the process. However, due to ongoing roadwork at the town’s entrance, the vehicle could not get to the hospital quickly, further delaying medical intervention. Despite the hospital staff’s efforts to revive the woman, it was already too late. The woman’s nephew further highlighted the significant shortages of medical personnel in Kos hospitals. Critical specialties such as pathologists, pneumonologists, and cardiologists are reportedly absent from the island’s healthcare system. Consequently, many residents are forced to seek medical care in Turkey, where private medical facilities are available. This tragic incident in Kos is not an isolated case illustrating the strained state of the Greek healthcare system. Another instance involved a 19-year-old pregnant woman in Nea Makri, Attica, who passed away due to alleged delays in ambulance services. According to the information provided by SKAI, last Tuesday, June 6, the young woman began experiencing intense abdominal pain early in the morning. The woman’s husband and relatives promptly contacted the emergency services and made a request for an ambulance at around 8:30 am. The ambulance did not arrive until after 1:00 pm. Following the prolonged delay, the woman was transported to the Nea Makri Health Centre, where both she and her unborn baby were pronounced dead. According to reports, the ambulance was delayed by up to five hours, and the family claims that the woman was still alive when the ambulance finally arrived. Furthermore, it is perplexing that she was transferred to a health centre rather than a hospital in Athens. The exact cause of her death is yet to be determined. The incidents within, days of each other, have placed a spotlight on the strained condition of the Greek healthcare system, with shortages of medical staff and delays in emergency services. The town of Nea Makri, which belongs in the same municipality as Marathon, is set to get the first marina in the region of northeast Attica. A study commissioned by the Infrastructure Ministry commissioned for the broader area has found that while southern Attica has several marinas, northeastern Attica has none that are properly licensed. The ministry, therefore, is preparing a plan for a marina’s construction through a public-private partnership (PPP) and on Monday commissioned a consultant for the project. Enter your information below to receive our weekly newsletters with the latest insights, opinion pieces and current events straight to your inbox. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Fresh fish or meat, casserole dishes and Cretan cuisine by the sea, just a stone's throw from Athens Rafina, Zouberi, Nea Makri, Marathonas; all great destinations –just a breath away from Athens- ideal for a nice and peaceful weekend getaway or a one-day excursion. Below you will find eight dining options where you can enjoy fresh fish, delicious grilled meat, traditional Cretan and Modern Greek cuisine. P.S: Argentina will remain closed until September 3rd. *3, Bitakou Str., Kalentzion, Marathon, +30 22940 66476 *93, Poseidonos Avenue, Zouberi, +30 22940 99704 *25th March Str., Agios Nikolas, +30 22940 28342 Here, time seems to have frozen in 1981, the year the fish tavern first opened. The fish, which in the past was carefully picked by the owner –Klearhos Bellos- on a daily basis, is as fresh as it gets. Several famous people have sat at its tables over the years. Now the business has been passed on to his son, Pericles, however, Trata still remains an excellent fish tavern that stands the test of time, a timeless value. *30, Poseidonos Avenue, Nea Makri, +30 22940 94794 *77, Poseidonos Avenue, Zouberi, +30 22949 40 916 a strong smell of sizzling meat hits your nostrils Yet another picturesque taverna-grill in Kato Souli is also run as a family business The spot is renowned for its grilled ewe served simply The thick spaghetti with goat in a tomato-based sauce is my favourite dish Seirines tavern stands as a potential reason for travellers to miss the ferry to the Cyclades Seirines tavern has maintained its charm over time while its menu has remained the same for years Do not miss the fava served with herring and pickled cucumber and the fish-ball platter (an assortment of fish cakes) Dionysiou Avenue) to try their sourdough bread Ask them to slice it so it will keep longer in the fridge also stop at Daphne Dairy for delicious dairy products of all kinds News | World The bodies of 26 adults and children were today found huddled together after they were overcome by a devastating wildfire in a Greek resort They are among at least 74 people killed as blazes swept along the coast around Athens and a state of emergency was declared The latest death toll was confirmed by the Greek fire brigade on Tuesday afternoon Rescuers discovered the 26 victims lying together near the top of a cliff overlooking a beach in the village of Mati “They had tried to find an escape route but unfortunately these people and their kids didn’t make it in time. Instinctively, seeing the end nearing, they embraced,” Nikos Economopoulos, head of Greece’s Red Cross Families were trapped behind walls of thick smoke as they fled towards the sea Flames fanned by high winds engulfed cars caught in jams standing in the water or swimming out to escape the heat with a flotilla of private boats joining military vessels the coastguard and army helicopters to rescue more than 700 people have been rescued requested emergency EU assistance from the EU and declared three days of mourning but added: “We mustn’t let mourning overwhelm us The youngest victim was thought to be a six-month-old baby who died from smoke inhalation while three women and a child drowned in the sea trying to escape advancing flames Greece asked for US drones “to observe and detect any suspicious activity” as it emerged 15 fires had started at the same time in three different areas Two major blazes broke out at lunchtime yesterday ripping through children’s camps and homes in Kineta and Mati particularly pensioners and children at holiday camps Local resident Andreaas Passios said: “Everything happened in seconds burning pine cones flying everywhere.” Kostas Laganos said: “We went into the sea flames chasing us all the way to the water It burned our backs and we dived in.’” One woman told Skai TV: “Mati doesn’t even exist as a settlement anymore adding: “The wind changed and it came at us with such force that it razed the coastal area in minutes messaged: “I am stuck on a coach in the middle of the wild fire in Greece rn [right now].” Three Israeli civilians killed in attack at West Bank-Jordan border Indonesian police arrest seven in a failed plot to attack Pope Francis Boeing jet makes emergency landing after ‘bomb on plane’ note found Mountaineer Bonita Norris reveals how to overcome everyday obstacles Foreign Office sources said they were not aware of any UK citizens killed or injured “at this stage” Greek interior minister Panos Skourletis described a “biblical disaster” Authorities deployed the country’s entire fleet of water-dropping planes and helicopters European Council president Donald Tusk said: “Europe will stand by our Greek friends in these difficult times two military vessels and “dozens” of private boats assisted by helicopters helped those stuck in Rafina harbour Fire department spokeswoman Stavroula Malliri said that 156 adults and 16 children have been taken to hospital with injuries Eleven of the adults are in a serious condition Harrowing images showed charred bodies in the street Relatives and friends were today desperately trying to reach loved ones I have very close friends who live near to these fires I haven’t managed to get through to them as yet.” Fire crews today said the Mati fire was reducing in intensity but was still not fully under control Ten brush and forest fireswere still burning across Greece today A Foreign Office spokesman said: “Our thoughts are with all those affected by the wildfires. We will do all we can to assist any British people who require our help.” The Foreign Office told travellers to Greece to “keep up to date with local media reports and follow the advice of the Greek authorities”.Flights to Athens’ Eleftherios Venizelos airport have been diverted due to the thick smoke. Prince Louis steals the show at VE Day parade as he keeps dad William looking sharp and mimics brother George Prince Louis steals show with sweet antics at VE parade VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day, Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte, Lady Victoria Starmer VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in major blow for Putin ahead of Victory Day celebrations Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in blow for Putin Rihanna shows off baby bump at star-studded Met Gala 2025 as singer's third pregnancy with A$AP Rocky announced Rihanna debuts baby bump on star-studded Met Gala blue carpet Stacey Solomon 'regrets doing reality show with Joe Swash' for tough reason Stacey Solomon 'regrets reality show with Joe Swash' for tough reason Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. Laurene Rey-Millet | Monday 15 August 2022 09:26 BST Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie were seen in a supermarket in the greek town of Nea Makri on Saturday 13 August A fellow shopper filmed the exiting prime minister doing his shopping greeting him with a “Hi” as he waved back with a friendly smile The Tory leader is enjoying his second summer holiday in two weeks despite the deepening cost of living crisis and has been accused of leading a “zombie” government and failing to provide reassurance to families anxious about soaring energy bills expected to hit almost £3,600 this October Sign up to our free newsletters by clicking here. Kim Kardashian wears Marilyn Monroe’s dress As Baltimore begins the process of planning to replace the Francis Scott Key Bridge, labor experts have pointed to how Latino workers will be the one who rebuild it. Anderson Clayton attends the North Carolina Young Democrats Convention in Durham. Decomplicated thumbnail about bedbugs explainer Woman runs London marathon topless after her double mastectomy Wrexham co-owner Ryan Reynolds, right, and Wrexham's Ollie Palmer pose with trophy at the Racecourse ground in Wrexham, Wales Defeat to Chris Eubank Jr ‘hard to swallow’ for Conor Benn Chris Eubank Jr (right) and his father, boxing icon Chris Sr Freddie Flintoff recalls second-by-second how cricket helped him survive horror Top Gear crash. Freddie Flintoff reveals frightened young son wouldn’t go near him after horror Top Gear crash. Eddie Hearn storms off stage at Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn press conference. Floodwaters rage across Yelville as residents evacuated from homes Googlebox stars stuck in Jamaica as Hurricane Beryl makes landfall: ‘I want to get out’. Cars swept away in New Mexico flash floods after wildfires charred the region Lady Gaga plays show to estimated 2.1m fans at free beach concert Sian Welby on why she kept pregnancy hidden from This Morning bosses. Prince Louis caught brushing down Price Williams jacket during VE Day celebrations The 1998 diesel has been converted into a stylish two-bed Beckham luciendo su peinado mohicano antes de un amistoso internacional contra México en 2001 Follow live updates from the wildfires here Huge forest fires raging across Greece have killed at least 60 people and injured more than 100 A state of emergency was declared in areas near Athens as coast guard boats attempted to rescue dozens of people trapped on beaches by fire The official death toll rose from 24 to at least 60 on Tuesday with Greek authorities expecting that figure to rise as they sought international assistance A Red Cross official revealed that 26 bodies were found huddled together in the yard of a villa in the seaside village of Mati while many other casualties were found in their homes or cars People have been told to leave their homes across the region as firefighters desperately tackle the deadliest blazes seen in the country for over a decade Of at least 104 people injured by the blazes 69 needed hospital treatment and 11 were in a serious condition “Mati doesn't even exist as a settlement anymore,” one woman told Greece's Skai TV "Everything happened in seconds," added Andreaas Passios Mr Passios said he and his wife stayed by the sea for two hours burning pine cones were flying everywhere." told Sky News: "Thankfully the sea was there and we went into the sea because the flames were chasing us all the way to the water "It burned our backs so we dove into the water "It reminded me of the eruption at Pompeii - exactly that - and I said 'my God we must run to save ourselves and nothing else' Fire Service spokeswoman Stavroula Malliri said Greece had called on the European Union for assistance with aerial and ground support in helping battle the flames Donald Trump hush money sentencing delayed until after election American activist shot dead during protest in West Bank Daughter tells rape trial in France of horror dad 'one of worst sexual predators' Meet the triathlete breaking new ground for Deaf athletes "We are doing everything humanly possible to tray and tackle these fires," Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said in Bosnia as he cut short a visit there and returned to Athens "What concerns us is that there are fires occurring simultaneously." The first major fire broke out in a pine forest near the seaside settlement of Kineta 30 miles west of Athens between the capital and Corinth At least 220 firefighters were on the scene while five water-dropping planes and seven helicopters helped to fight the blaze from the air Reinforcements were being sent in from across Greece The second broke out yesterday afternoon in the Penteli and Rafina areas northeast of Athens before spreading to the seaside resort of Mati Local authorities said children's summer camps and a seaside resort for military officers were evacuated while dozens of homes and cars were reportedly destroyed The wind changed and it came at us with such force that it razed the coastal area in minutes," said Evangelos Bournous a sleepy mainland port that serves Greek holiday islands The dock area became a makeshift hospital as paramedics checked survivors when they came off coast guard vessels and private boats Mr Bournous said he believed about 100 houses in that area had burned The fire service was not able to confirm the figure Showers that passed over the Greek capital Monday missed the two big fires - one at Rafina Heavy rain is forecast across southern Greece on Wednesday VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day Discover the area's amazing cultural heritage many important findings and fewer visitors; the archaeological sites of eastern Attica are right here waiting to be discovered you can really get a glimpse of what life in ancient Greece was like it is well worth taking a day to visit one or more of the following archaeological sites the archaeological site is of Amphiareio is not visible from the road The only sign of its presence could be said to be a fence on the right side of the road But if you stop and take a look from above you’ll see a green pine-clad little valley it was not dedicated to any of the Twelve Olympians but to Amphiaraos The latter was a Greek mythological hero who participated – by deception and without meaning to – in the attack on Thebes (described in detail in Aeschylus’ “Seven against Thebes”) opening a ravine that swallowed Amphiaraοs and his chariot up completely sparing him from death and making him immortal was also worshipped as a physician and was thought to be the “Second Asclepius” The temple of Amphiaraos was built when the area of Oropos was under the rule of the Athenians The archaeological excavation of the site took place between 1884 and 1929 and revealed the columns of the six-column Doric temple It seems to have been swept away by the torrent in the past Particularly impressive is the great stoa (in Greek architecture a freestanding colonnade or covered walkway) as Amphiareio was one of the centres of religious and medical tourism in antiquity The site also boasts a very well-preserved stone theatre with wooden seats and a seating capacity of 300 Today the ruins are very much in tune with nature creating a unique and delightful environment which makes it worth spending a whole morning here go swimming at the beach of Oropos or Kalamos In Oropos you will also find many good restaurants to satiate your hunger  Opening hours of the archaeological site: daily 8:30-15:30 the area remains almost unchanged since antiquity as it has not been inhabited since then and has retained its rural and pastoral character The remains of the ancient settlement of Ramnous as well as walls and remains of fortifications and a Doric temple dedicated to Nemesis the area was of great strategic importance for the Athenians From this fortress they ensured free navigation on the Euboean Sea and transported grain to Athens since the area has never had any new residential development some of the ancient ruins have always been visible The first excavations took place at the beginning of the 19th century The temple and the fortress were discovered in excavations carried out between 1880 and 1892 the site was largely abandoned and not fully accessible to visitors Take a lovely 1.5 km walk inside the ancient settlement until you reach the fortress that combines magnificent views with rich archaeological findings go swimming at the beach of Schinias or Grammatiko You can also visit Lake Marathon for hiking and other outdoor activities Opening hours of the archaeological site: daily 8:30-15:30 Brauron is known for the temple of Artemis that gives its name to the current municipality as “Artemida” is the official name of Loutsa goddess Artemis asked for the sacrifice of Iphigenia so that the Achaean fleet could sail to Troy who then became a priestess of the goddess in the region of Brauron The temple of Artemis was built in the 5th century BC and is of Doric style The main excavations in the area took place in the 1950s and 1960s Although a large part of the temple has not been preserved the layout of the space exudes the magnificent atmosphere of the past a Doric building in the shape of an asymmetrical Greek “Π” (letter P in Greek) it is one of the most important archaeological museums in Greece among which the numerous statues of little boys and girls stand out Artemis was also the goddess of childbirth and children the area’s natural environment is equally impressive vineyards and vegetable patches coexist harmoniously as well as a large number of bird species also live in the area go swimming at the beautiful Hamolia beach or go for a stroll and a bite in the picturesque coastal town of Porto Rafti Opening hours of the archaeological site: daily 08:30- 15:30 in Attica there is a temple dedicated to the gods of Ancient Egypt the temple is located in the locality of Mikro Elos (Small Marsh) of Brexiza in Nea Makri Built by Herodes Atticus –one of the richest men of his time and a prominent landowner- The most impressive part of the temple must have been the supernaturally large statues that stood inside (some of which can now be found in the Archaeological Museum of Marathon) replicas of the statues of the goddess Isis and the god Osiris have been erected From the size of the replicas one can understand the size of the temple and its imposing presence in the area It seems that when the sanctuary was founded it was located on a small island in the marsh which was connected to the mainland by canals Today the site is filled with reeds that add to the “Egyptian” feel of the landscape go swimming at the beach of Nea Makri or visit the Archaeological Museum of Marathon Greek police have busted a group of 14 people accused of wreaking havoc on Smart cars and selling solid narcotics Police were able to handcuff 11 of the accused while 3 others have been declared wanted The Greek media have recently published photos of the criminal group They are 22-year-old Aleksandra Kalemin and Andon Cala born in 1990 the criminal organization was structured in two subgroups with direct cooperation between them and their activity was divided into vehicle theft and drug trafficking The perpetrators took measures against eavesdropping and their conversations took place in online applications with encrypted expressions as they often changed telephone connections the police were able to detect at least 12 stolen cars type "Smart" while the group is also accused of over 480 cases of cocaine distribution it is noted that each vehicle they stole was "ordered" in advance while the group had a special computer system which disabled the anti-theft system of the car The defendants drove the stolen vehicles mainly in the area of ​​Nea Makri and Koropi in order to determine if they had a tracking system Then they took them to a specially designed area where they had the right logistics to dismantle and change them Parts of the dismantled vehicles were either used to rebuild other vehicles or sold as spare parts to interested buyers Police investigations found and confiscated a large number of spare parts and car parts the criminal organization is estimated to have received a sum of more than 154,000 euros from criminal activity Plenary Session Terminated after Tensions in Assembly Hall Opposition MPs Climbed through Windows to Enter Assembly Offices Tirana-Besiktas Match Suspended Due to Incidents Strong Security Measures for Bill Clinton's Visit in Tirana DP Accuses PM of Ignoring Albanians Living in Survival Conditions the Tour of Hellas 2025 will cover 811.19 km including two World Tour teams: Jayco AlUla and XDS Astana as well as the national teams of Greece and Cyprus The XDS Astana team also features a Greek legend in its coaching staff—Vasilis Anastopoulos both former winners of the Tour of Hellas (2003 and 1981 As Deputy Minister of Sports Giannis Vroutsis highlights: “The National Cycling Strategy, developed by three Ministries—Sports and Energy & Environment—aims to make our cities more sustainable encourage citizens to integrate exercise into their daily lives and promote alternative means of transportation The PPC Tour of Hellas is more than just a top-tier sports event Through the parallel activities of the PPC Tour of Hellas 2025 we educate the younger generation to incorporate cycling into their lives.” The breathtaking routes from Patras to Athens will highlight Greece’s natural beauty and cultural heritage organized by Cycling Greece under the Ministry of Sports represents a major step toward revitalizing competitive cycling in Greece and establishing the country as a global cycling destination The PPC Tour of Hellas 2025 is more than just a race—it is also a social event with multiple community activities spectators—especially children—will have the chance to experience exciting cycling events at the PPC fan zones featuring interactive workshops and educational programs These events aim to promote cycling as a primary means of transportation reinforcing the message of the race: DEI Power Up the Race Follow en.protothema.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news See all the latest News from Greece and the World, the moment they happen, at en.protothema.gr When the devastating Athens earthquake struck in September 1999 scientists were astonished to discover that it originated from an unknown fault the country’s top scientific institutions attempted to map Attica’s faults – and they succeeded originating from a fault unknown to seismologists with a shallow focal depth of 8.7 kilometers (which explains why the tremors were felt) caused consecutive earthquakes ranging from 2.3 to 2.7 on the Richter scale It was identified as one of Attica’s unknown faults unknown faults pose a threat to the capital President of the Earthquake Planning and Protection Organization we witnessed the activation of a small fault which does not appear on the map and was not previously recorded.” The emeritus professor of Dynamic Applied Geology & Natural Disaster Management at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens further explains that this fault starts near the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and extends eastward ending near the edge of Holargos’ urban area and just before Kifisias Avenue Scientists reached this conclusion by mapping the distribution of the earthquake epicenters along the fault can theoretically produce earthquakes up to 6–6.5 Richter it doesn’t necessarily make them dangerous The most extensive information on Attica’s faults comes from a comprehensive study conducted after the 1999 earthquake in a joint effort between the University of Athens and the National Technical University of Athens some specialized in regions such as eastern and western Attica These are faults that do not visibly surface and are identified only through geophysical surveys – which typically focus on larger faults it is nearly impossible to conduct such surveys within urban environments have scientists recorded in Athens’ urban fabric The answer: “Several dozen.” Most are too small to cause damage due to their limited seismic capacity as demonstrated by the destructive Parnitha earthquake where proximity to urban centers increased seismic risk Faults like these were recorded in studies conducted after the 1999 earthquake in regions such as the South Euboean Gulf as well as densely populated areas of the capital Notable examples include the small/medium faults traversing areas such as Marousi-Melissia-Vrilissia-Gerakas which can produce intermediate-depth earthquakes up to 6.5 Richter have historically caused events like the 6.5 Richter earthquake in August 1962 with minor damages and an epicenter in Acrocorinth Geophysical surveys and epicenter records of small and medium-sized earthquakes help map Attica’s faults and the broader region scientists can project these faults onto three-dimensional maps (as shown in the accompanying photos) to study their dynamics Based on scientific data from the past 120 years the faults and fault systems posing the greatest threat to Attica include the following as explained by seismologist Gerasimos Papadopoulos: Attica is also threatened by highly dynamic faults in its broader “neighborhood.” The most famous This fault zone has produced deadly earthquakes in the past located approximately 130 kilometers from Athens caused two seismic tremors in 1894 – measuring 6.7 and 6.4 Richter a week apart – resulting in damage to Athens and Piraeus Although its total length does not exceed 34 kilometers it could produce earthquakes up to 7.2 Richter its individual segments are activated independently generating earthquakes between 5.5–6.6 Richter while only the Atalanti segment might be linked to earthquakes around 6.0 Richter Nea Makri has a high level of seismic activity Based on data from the past 55 years and our earthquake archive back to 1900 there are about 2,700 quakes on average per year in or near Nea Makri Nea Makri has had at least 9 quakes above magnitude 6 since 1900 which suggests that larger earthquakes of this size occur infrequently probably on average approximately every 10 to 15 years The quake had a very shallow depth of 10.5 km (7 mi) and was not felt (or at least not reported so) Nea Makri has had 7 quakes of magnitude 2.0 or above There were also 10 quakes below magnitude 2.0 which people don't normally feel The depth of the quake is unknown.The quake was not felt (or at least not reported so).