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At least 74 people were killed by wildfires that swept through a resort near Athens in Greece on Monday, trapping people in cars and on the edge of cliffs while others were forced to jump off to survive. In what is known as the worst Greek forest fires in a decade, the blaze in Mati left burnt bodies to lay on roadsides, some even locked in an embrace as the flames closed in.
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A number of burnt cars lined streets in the coastal town, melted by the intensity of the heat. (Reuters)
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After searching for an escape route, various groups of people, including children, ended up standing at the top of a cliff overlooking a beach. (Reuters)
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The lucky ones were able to leap off the cliffs to survive, or rush into the sea from the beach. (Reuters)
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With the rise in death toll, it is not clear how many people still remain unaccounted for, as boats combed beaches for any remaining survivors. (Reuters)
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Hundreds of firefighters aided by water-dropping aircraft tackle the remaining areas in the two main blazes near the capital. (Reuters)
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Residents, their faces blackened by smoke, wander the streets, some searching for their burned-out cars, others for their pets. (AP)
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Fire-fighting helicopters and rescue crews break the eerie silence that took over the village after the fires harmed hundreds. (AP)
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Many of the resident were unable to escape the fast pace of the blaze even though they were a few metres from the Aegean Sea or in their homes. (Reuters)
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Most of the casualties appeared to have occurred near Rafina, where some flare-ups were reported on Tuesday. (Reuters)
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Rafina's dock became a makeshift hospital in just a night as paramedics checked the survivors, some clad in only their bathing suits, who emerged from coast guard vessels and private boats. (Reuters)
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One of the youngest victims is believed to be a six-month-old baby who died of smoke inhalation. (Reuters)
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Out of the 187 people injured in the devastating fire, at least 23 are young children. (AP)
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Out of the ones that went missing in the fire, one is a woman with multiple sclerosis, dragged out of her wheelchair by her frantic husband as the flames closed in, but lost in the ensuing chaos. (AP)
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The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear and an Athens prosecutor ordered an investigation into it. Wildfires are not uncommon in Greece, and a relatively dry winter and hot summer helped create the current conditions. (Reuters)
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The fire service urged residents to report missing relatives and friends. Some took to Twitter and Facebook, posting photographs of young children and elderly couples they hoped to track down. (Reuters)
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Greece issued an urgent appeal for help to tackle fires that raged out of control in several places across the country, destroying homes and disrupting major transport links. (Reuters)
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One of the rescuers saw at least four dead people on a narrow road clogged with cars heading to a beach. (Reuters)
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Coast guard boats patrol the shores near fire-hit areas on Tuesday after more than 700 people trapped by quick-moving fires had to be rescued from beaches or the sea. (Reuters)
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Many tourists and residents fled towards the coastline. Some swam out to sea, braving rough water and strong currents to escape the ferocious flames and choking smoke. (AP)
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To cope with the loss, Greece sought international help through the European Union. Spain sent two firefighting aircraft while Cyprus sent in 60 firefighters. Israel, Turkey and Bulgaria also offered assistance. (Reuters)
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