Forest fires in Greece claim 46 lives
A total of 170 fires have been reported across the country
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Saturday, 25, Aug 2007 12:20
Raging forest fires in southern Greece have claimed 46 lives as emergency workers battle to bring the blaze under control.
A total of 170 fires have been reported across the country including islands in the Ionian Sea.
An emergency has been declared in the southern parts of the Mediterranean country as efforts continue to stop the fire from spreading.
Prime minister Kostas Karamanlis has called the fire an "unspeakable tragedy" and appealed to the European Union for assistance.
Greece has been battling forest fires since June when a heatwave across Europe resulted in blazes being reported in Macedonia, Romania and the Canary Islands.
Fire department spokesman Nikos Diamandis told the Associated Press news agency that he also suspected arson in several cases. He added that firefighting staff and detectives were on their way to the area to conduct rescue work and begin investigations.
At least nine people were killed near the town of Zahero after cars fleeing the flames were encircled by the fire. Six people also died as fires swept across Aeropolis in southern parts of the country.