NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Police in Cyprus found two bodies inside a burned-out car Thursday after a massive wildfire scorched 100 square kilometers (38.6 square miles) of forested hillsides, destroyed numerous homes and forced the evacuation of a dozen villages on the southern side of the island nation’s Troodos mountain range.
Police initially reported late Wednesday that Civil Defense personnel found the charred body of a single individual inside the vehicle on a main road connecting fire-hit hillside villages. But a second body was discovered early Thursday morning and police said identification efforts are ongoing.
Photos posted on social media purported to show the victims’ gutted vehicle on the shoulder of the main Monagri-Alassa road.
Fire Service Spokesman Andreas Kettis told state-run Cyprus News Agency there are currently no active fronts but fire crews were still battling numerous flare-ups, and winds are expected to pick up later in the day. Up to 14 aircraft are resuming water drops over hard-to-reach areas.
Cyprus’ Justice Minister Marios Hartsiotis told the state broadcaster that more than 100 people who were evacuated from fire-hit communities are being hosted in temporary shelters.
The fire forced the evacuation of 14 villages along a 14-kilometer (8.7-mile) stretch of mountainous terrain. Media reports showed gutted homes smoldering as flames swept through the outskirts of some villages. In the village of Lofou, at least 20 homes were destroyed as fires threated a group of stranded evacuees whose police buses had to turn back as the fire front shifted to block their exit.
Images broadcast on media late Wednesday showed flames consuming trees, brush and other vegetation along a huge front burning bright orange against the backdrop of a nighttime sky.
Police continued to block road access to the fire-afflicted communities as area residents vented against what they called a disorganized response to the huge fire.
Government spokesman Constantinos Letymbiotis said Spain would be sending two fire-fighting aircraft Thursday morning to assist local crews. Jordan is helping with two of its own helicopters, which had been deployed in Cyprus for firefighting. An RAF Chinook helicopter that operates from one of two British Bases on Cyprus is also assisting.
Limassol Municipality and the local soccer club Apollonas offered apartments and a basketball court respectively to temporarily house evacuees.
Cyprus has been on high alert for fires this summer after three consecutive arid winters.
