catastrophe
Five dead in fires in southeastern Turkey
Firefighters work to extinguish a fire near Kumköy on the Gallipoli Peninsula. Photo
© Sercan Ozkurnazli/DIA Photo/AP/dpa
A fire breaks out in a rural region in southeastern Turkey. It spreads quickly with the wind. For some, there is no escape. Severely injured animals are still waiting for help.
In the southeast of the A fire that broke out in a field in Turkey has killed five people. A total of 29 people were injured, wrote Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya on the X platform. They are still being treated.
The fire broke out on an agricultural area in the province of Diyarbakir and, due to strong winds, spread to areas in the neighboring province of Mardin. The fire is now under control, but areas are continuing to cool down, said the Interior Minister. It remains unclear exactly how the people died.
According to the state news agency Anadolu, a 17-year-old was among the dead. According to local media reports, he was “trapped” by the fire along with his 40-year-old cousin. Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc announced an investigation into the fires. The pro-Kurdish Dem party reported on X that 7 people were dead and 44 injured and accused the government of reacting too late and inadequately to the fire.
The animal welfare association Haytap and local animal welfare groups circulated images of numerous burned and seriously injured sheep and goats that were still waiting for veterinary help.