State of emergency declared in Italy after wildfires raged through Sardinia

State of emergency declared in Italy after wildfires raged through Sardinia
July 27, 2021, 2:50 am

Italian Firefighters

According to the Xinhua, regional emergency services in Italy's Sardinia issued a new adverse weather warning for Monday, and the regional government has declared a state of emergency after large swaths of the major island were ravaged by wildfires in the last few days.

The Xinhua said according to the local civil protection department the hot weather alert especially concerned central and western Sardinia and some areas around northern Coghinas, and would last until 6 p.m. local time on Monday.

The alert entails a high risk of new bushfires.

In an emergency meeting Sunday night -- after the national civil protection launched five operations with Canadair water-dropping planes on the island -- the regional government declared the state of emergency.

The wildfire started on Friday with a car that caught fire after a crash, and has forced the evacuation of at least 1,500 people from their homes. It has devastated some 20,000 hectares of land so far.

Sardinia's governor Christian Solinas said several farms and homes were destroyed, along with thousands of hectares of vegetation. No casualties were reported yet.

Fanned by hot southwest winds, the largest bushfire in the Oristano area kept spreading along a front of almost 50 km as of Monday morning, according to the Nuova Sardegna newspaper.

Local firefighters have received support from Greece and France, which sent two Canadair planes through the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism.

Source: xinhua
Image source: xinhua

Newly appointed Lebanese PM Najib Mikati vows to quickly form cabinet Hamas warns Israel of tightening blockade on Gaza Strip