PH Condoles With Greece As Fire In Resort Area Claims More Than 70 Lives

25 July 2018 – The Philippines today extended its condolences to Greece after wildfires in a popular seaside resort outside Athens took the lives of more than 70 people on Monday.

“On behalf of the Filipino people and the Philippine Government, I would like to convey my deepest sympathies to the Greek people, especially to the grieving families of the victims and casualties of the catastrophic wildfire in Eastern Attica on 23 July 2018,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano said in a statement.

“I believe the that the resilience of the Greek people will see the nation through this very difficult time. We pray for more strength to the bereaved families and the fast healing of those injured,” Secretary Cayetano added.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said the Philippine Embassy in Athens has been monitoring the fires in three areas—Mayo, Rafina, and Kineta—and has checked on the situation of Filipinos near the affected areas.

In her report to the Home Office, Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Rosario Lemque said there were no Filipinos reported among the casualties in the deadly blaze that struck the popular tourist destination.

Chargé d’Affaires Lemque reported that Greek authorities said it is too early to ascertain the number and nationality of the victims but reported that most of them are Greeks.

The Filipino Community was nevertheless advised to inform the Embassy if there are Filipinos affected by the fires.

News reports said the wildfire, considered the worst since the August 2007 fire in the southern Peloponnese peninsula killed dozens, was caused by a massive heat wave which swept the country.

Greece issued an urgent appeal for help to tackle to tackle the fire happening in several places across the country, destroying homes and disrupting major transport links. END