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dpa
Istanbul
As Turkish emergency services continue battling massive forest fires for the third day running, two forest workers were reportedly killed in fire-fighting efforts in the southern Turkish province of Antalya on Saturday.
These latest fatalities bring the death toll in connection with the fires to six, the state news agency Anadolu reported.
Ten fires are still active, including three in the province of Antalya, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Bekir Pakdemirli said on Twitter on Saturday.
In the town of Manavgat in Antalya, where some houses have already been burned down, two more neighbourhoods were evacuated as a precautionary measure on Saturday, according to Anadolu.
The fires are particularly severe on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast where strong winds have hampered the fire-fighting efforts. Numerous hotels have been evacuated and tourists taken to safety by boat.
Russian President Vladimir Putin assured Turkey of his country’s support in fighting the fires. In a telephone conversation with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday, Putin promised “comprehensive assistance,” according to a Kremlin statement.
The cause of the fires remains unclear. Turkish authorities have begun an investigation and have not ruled out arson.
Intense heat of more than 40 degrees Celsius is forecast for the next few days on Turkey’s Mediterranean and Aegean coasts, posing a further challenge to fire-fighting efforts.
Istanbul
As Turkish emergency services continue battling massive forest fires for the third day running, two forest workers were reportedly killed in fire-fighting efforts in the southern Turkish province of Antalya on Saturday.
These latest fatalities bring the death toll in connection with the fires to six, the state news agency Anadolu reported.
Ten fires are still active, including three in the province of Antalya, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Bekir Pakdemirli said on Twitter on Saturday.
In the town of Manavgat in Antalya, where some houses have already been burned down, two more neighbourhoods were evacuated as a precautionary measure on Saturday, according to Anadolu.
The fires are particularly severe on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast where strong winds have hampered the fire-fighting efforts. Numerous hotels have been evacuated and tourists taken to safety by boat.
Russian President Vladimir Putin assured Turkey of his country’s support in fighting the fires. In a telephone conversation with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday, Putin promised “comprehensive assistance,” according to a Kremlin statement.
The cause of the fires remains unclear. Turkish authorities have begun an investigation and have not ruled out arson.
Intense heat of more than 40 degrees Celsius is forecast for the next few days on Turkey’s Mediterranean and Aegean coasts, posing a further challenge to fire-fighting efforts.
