Death toll from Turkey’s wildfires rises to 6

Istanbul, Jul 31 (EFE).- The death toll from the wildfires hitting southern and western Turkey increased to six as authorities confirmed on Saturday that two firefighters died after being trapped in their tanker truck.

Four firefighters were stuck on Friday inside their vehicle in the southern province of Antalya, where the wildfire has been ravaging since Wednesday.

Two of them were found dead on Saturday, which brings the total tally to six dead, including five in the Manavgat district, the Turkish news agency Anadolu reported.

The other two have been hospitalized since being rescued and are expected to be discharged shortly, according to the Turkish Turriyet newspaper.

The fires have wiped out dozens of hectares of forest and agricultural land, killing over 1,000 cattle and forcing villages and some hotels to evacuate the area.

High temperatures in the eastern Mediterranean, expected to exceed 40 in Turkey in the coming days, facilitate the spread of the flames.

Turkish authorities are investigating the cause of the fires and have not ruled out the fires were started intentionally. EFE

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