3 Dead, Hundreds Evacuated as Wildfire Burns Southern Turkey
At least three people are dead as a wildfire continues to burn through southern Turkey. It is the second day that the fire, which started in four points near the town of Manavgat and spread to the resort city of Antalya, has been burning. Authorities evacuated 18 villages and districts in Antalya, and 16 villages were evacuated in the neighboring provinces of Adana and Mersin. A Manavgat hospital also was evacuated, Reuters reported.
Several houses have been burned. A plane, a drone, 19 helicopters, about 250 vehicles and 960 people have been involved in firefighting efforts.
The fire’s spread has been helped by hot weather and strong winds. There have been 41 wildfires in 13 of Turkey’s 81 provinces since Tuesday, according to Turkey’s Agriculture Minister Bekir Pakdemirli.
