Greek officials order evacuation after blast in ammo depot amid wildfires
Greek authorities have ordered residents of several villages in the center of the country to evacuate after an explosion at an ammunition depot.
The explosions occurred in an ammunition warehouse in Volos region when a fire in the area reached the warehouse and caused a series of explosions, shattering the surrounding windows.
"Part of the ammunition warehouse at the air force barracks in Nea Anchialos is on fire and an explosion has taken place," said Yannis Artopios, a spokesman of the fire department, adding that seven planes and three helicopters were already present in the area to extinguish the fire.
The air base is located 20 kilometers, or 12 miles, away from the city of Volos, where the explosions were heard.
The air force announced that the site, which is about 6 kilometers north of the air base, was not damaged in the incident because it had already been evacuated.
Officials said no one was injured in nearby villages. Some residents evacuated their homes as a precaution.
Some residents and visitors reportedly headed to a small local port so they could evacuate by sea, while others were preparing to leave by car.
Fires have killed five people in parts of Greece during three consecutive Mediterranean heat waves in the past two weeks.
A fire on the popular island of Rhodes, now raging for the 10th day in a row, has led to Greece's largest fire evacuation in history.
While firefighters are working to put out the flames, extreme temperatures and hot conditions are challenging the situation in the area.
Flames were also reported on Evia, Greece's second-largest island.
Temperatures over the past week have exceeded 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in many parts of Greece.
In addition to Rhodes, and Evia, emergency services were dealing with fires in the east of Athens and Aigio, southwest of Athens, and on the island of Corfu where authorities ordered the precautionary evacuation of a number of small settlements.
The severity of the situation has led to the cancellation of flights to and from the island, leaving many stranded and unable to leave.
The Greek government has sought assistance from neighboring countries and international partners to aid in the firefighting efforts.
As the situation unfolds, authorities are urging residents and tourists to remain vigilant and follow evacuation orders to ensure their safety.
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