A fire brigade spokeswoman said at least 74 people were killed in the wildfires and the death toll was expected to rise.
Wildfires killed at least 74 people including small children in Greece. Fast paced wildfires swept through the town of Mati, trapping people in cars and on the edge of cliffs as others were forced to jump off to survive.
The raging orange flames devoured homes, markets and forests as terrified residents began fleeing to the sea to escape. Devastating pictures show scores of charred gutted cars lined streets in the coastal town near Athens after the fires broke on Monday. Authorities said bodies were found on roadsides.
In one area, a group of 26 people, including children, were found dead - some locked in an embrace as the flames closed in. They were found near the top of a cliff overlooking a beach and ended up there after apparently searching for an escape route.
Mati is a popular tourist spot for Greeks, particularly pensioners and children at summer camps.
Kostas Laganos, a middle-aged survivor, compared the ordeal to the destruction of the Roman city of Pompeii, where thousands were incinerated by the volcano of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.
A fire brigade spokeswoman said at least 74 people were killed and the death toll was expected to rise. It was not clear how many people remained unaccounted for as boats combed beaches for any remaining survivors.
People in the area took to social media to post photographs of missing young children, elderly couples and pets. The fire department has urged residents to report missing relatives and friends.
1. Firefighters continue battle against Greece wildfire
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A firefighter wears a flame resistant uniform as wildfire burns in the town of Rafina, near Athens, Greece. Officials said they were Greece's deadliest blazes in more than a decade. (Photo Credit: Reuters)
2. At least 74 people have died in the wildfires
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Firefighters, soldiers and local residents carry a hose as a wildfire burns in the town of Rafina. Winds of more than 100 kilometres per hour in Mati caused a "sudden progression of fire" through the village, fire service spokeswoman said. (Photo Credit: Reuters)
3. People watch a wildfire raging in the town of Rafina
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Some 715 people from Mati were evacuated by boats to nearby Rafina. "Mati no longer exists," said the mayor of Rafina, Evangelos Bournous, adding that more than a thousand buildings and 300 cars had been damaged. (Photo Credit: Reuters)
4. Smoke rise in the sky of Rafina as wilddire rages on
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In Greece's deadliest blazes in more than a decade, at least 72 people have died. A fire brigade spokeswoman said, and the death toll was expected to rise. (Photo Credit: Reuters)
5. Firefighters and volunteers try to extinguish flames during a wildfire at the village of Kineta, near Athens
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Raging wildfires killed 74 people including small children in Greece, devouring homes and forests as terrified residents fled to the sea to escape the flames, authorities said Tuesday. (Photo Credit: AFP)
6. Wildfire flames spread to the village of Kineta
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Rescuers rushed to evacuate residents and tourists stranded on beaches. Others were overtaken by the flames in their homes, on foot or in their cars. AFP photographers saw the burnt bodies of humans and dogs. (Photo Credit: AFP)
7. Wildfires have killed at least 74 people, Greece's deadliest blazes in more than a decade
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In one area, a group of 26 people were found dead - some locked in an embrace as the flames closed in. The group, which included children, were found near the top of a cliff overlooking a beach. They had ended up there after apparently searching for an escape route. (Photo Credit: AFP)
8. A firefighting helicopter drops water to extinguish flames during a wildfire at the village of Kineta
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Wildfires killed 74 people including small children in Greece, devouring homes and forests as terrified residents fled to the sea to escape the flames. (Photo Credit: AFP)
9. An aerial view shows burnt houses following a wildfire in the village of Mati
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Orange flames engulfed pine forests, turning them to ash and leaving lines of charred cars in the smoke-filled streets of seaside towns near Athens. (Photo Credit: AFP)
10. An aerial view of an urban area burnt during wildfire in Mati.
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"Mati no longer exists," said the mayor of nearby Rafina, Evangelos Bournous. He added that more than a thousand buildings and 300 cars had been damaged. (Photo Credit: AFP)
11. A woman reacts as she tries to find her dog
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Kostas Laganos, a middle-aged survivor, compared the ordeal to the destruction of the city of Pompeii, where thousands were incinerated by the volcano of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. (Photo Credit: Reuters)
12. People rushed to sea to escape the wildfire
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"We went into the sea because the flames were chasing us all the way to the water. It burned our backs and we dived into the water," a survivor said. Many in the area had been unable to escape the fast pace of the blaze even though they were a few metres from the Aegean Sea or in their homes, the fire service said. (Photo Credit: Reuters)
