At least 1,500 people have been evacuated from parts of Crete as a massive wildfire continues to blaze on the Greek island.
Gale force winds fanned the flames and driven the blaze south, after the fire broke out in the hills near Ierapetra on the eastern end of the island.
People from villages including Achlia, Ferma, Agia Fotia and Koutsounari and surrounding tourist resorts and hotels have been evacuated to Ierapetra’s indoor sports hall for shelter.
The blaze has already destroyed homes in places including Agia Fotia, while some people have been treated for smoke inhalation, according to authorities.
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The BBC reports at least four people have been taken to hospital with respiratory problems.
The fire began in an area of dense, flammable vegetation between Agia Fotia and Skinokapsala, with steep slopes, parched ground and gusty winds making containment extremely difficult.
Authorities said the fire has been difficult to contain, and 230 firefighters continue to battle the blaze with help from 10 water-dropping aircraft.
“It’s a very difficult situation. The fire is very hard to contain. Right now, they cannot contain it,” Nektarios Papadakis, a civil protection official at the regional authority, told AP.
“The tourists who were moved out are all okay. They have been taken to an indoor basketball arena and hotels in other regions of the island.”
Large parts of Greece remain under an orange alert for fire danger as the summer wildfire season continues.
Last week emergency services conducted evacuations near Athens after a wildfire broke out near the capital.
Athens and the surrounding region remains under an orange alert level, while the Cyclades Islands and the Dodecanese Islands are under a yellow alert, according to the Greek Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection.
