Fatalities of fires in Turkey. Thousands of firefighters are fighting fire

Fires broke out in forests near Manavgat, Alanya, Adana, Mersin, Bodrum and Marmaris. Dozens of houses, fields and homesteads in several villages are devastated.

- According to preliminary information, 150 head of cattle and 1,000 sheep have died, 600 hectares of agricultural land and 50 hectares of greenhouses are burned - said Turkish Agriculture Minister Bekir Pakdemirli.

The hotel was evacuated in the tourist town of Bodrum. In total, over 4,000 people fight fires. firefighters, assisted by helicopters and planes, including three Russian water bombers. Four people in the areas covered by the fire died and 183 were hospitalized.

The governments of Azerbaijan and Greece, with which Turkey has tense diplomatic relations, have declared their aid in the fight against the element.

In the face of several fires at the same time, the Turkish authorities say that a criminal source of the fire cannot be ruled out. “Spreading a fire from Manavgat to four different points is like arson. But at the moment we do not have specific information - said the mayor of Antalya Muhittin Bocek.

"All necessary support will be given to our fellow citizens who have suffered from the fire," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan assured, who also promised to launch a thorough investigation.

(kw)