Cyprus forest fire a 'tragedy', worst blaze in decades: President

AFP , Sunday 4 Jul 2021

"It is a tragedy," President Nicos Anastasiades said in a tweet, adding that it is "the largest fire since 1974" when the island was divided after Turkey occupied its northern third

Cyprus
A car drives on a road in the village of Vavatsinia in the Larnaca district of Cyprus as a giant wildfire rages on the hills above during the night of July 3. AFP

A huge forest fire raging in Cyprus that has claimed four lives is a "tragedy" and the island's worst blaze in decades, President Nicos Anastasiades said in a tweet Sunday.

"It is a tragedy," he wrote, adding that it is "the largest fire since 1974" when the island was divided after Turkey occupied its northern third.

The blaze had caused "loss of life" and destroyed property and forest lands, he wrote, adding that "the government will provide immediate assistance to the victims and the families of the victims".

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