In Croatia, fires south of Split: 19 injured and hundreds evacuated

According to the authorities, the forest fires, fueled by the strong weather, are among the worst in the country's history

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According to the authorities, the forest fires in Croatia have been among the worst in the country's history. Firefighters fought throughout the night between August 13 and 14 to tame the flames that hit several houses and injured 19 people on the coast south of Split

Hundreds of people were forced to evacuate from villages near the city of Omiš, while the fire, which started in the settlement of Lokva Rogoznica, spread towards the surrounding hills.

The rescue efforts

The head of the Croatian firefighters, Slavko Tučaković, stated that some of the 19 injured are in serious condition and that several firefighters were also injured while trying to protect houses from the flames fueled by strong winds. Almost 300 firefighters were deployed during the night while about 1,000 displaced people found shelter in a sports hall in Omiš, said the city's mayor, Zvonko Močić. Several other shelters were opened in the nearby coastal cities of Split and Makarska, the Croatian fire service stated in a press release. Four Canadair firefighting planes were deployed in the morning to help tame the fire.

See also

Fires in France and Germany, thousands of people evacuated