Tourists evacuated from beaches in southwestern Turkey, where violent fires are now threatening hotels, resorts and homes. According to local media, Turkish Coast Guard ships, assisted by private boats and yachts, were deployed to rescue vacationers. While three five-star hotels have been evacuated in the city of Bodrum.
The fires, which have ravaged Turkey since Wednesday, particularly in the regions of Antalya and Mugla, have killed six people. Two more deaths were confirmed on Saturday. They were among the thousands who tried to put out the flames of the nearly 100 fires that broke out in resorts and villages on the Turkish coasts of the Mediterranean and Aegean, one of the main tourist regions.
Agriculture Minister Bekir Pakdemirl said 88 of the 98 fires are currently under control, which have been fueled by winds and record temperatures not seen in 60 years, such as in Cizre, in the southeast, where days in the past 49.1 degrees were recorded.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan flew over some areas yesterday by helicopter, declaring the south-eastern regions “disaster areas” and assuring that, even if we do not want to “politicize” what is happening, we are “considering the possibility of sabotage” and an investigation was opened. Many are pointing the finger at the PKK Kurds, who in the past would have been responsible for setting arson, using them as a weapon against the central government of Ankara.
Erdogan has promised that the government will do everything to help the hundreds of people affected by the disaster. The president was heavily criticized for the shortage of firefighting aircraft in the country. But he said that “the main reason for these problems with the planes is that the Turkish Air Force Association has not been able to upgrade its fleet and technology.” He added that more planes from Azerbaijan, Iran, Russia and Ukraine are now involved in the massive firefighting operation.