The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

Forest fires in Algeria: death toll rises to 38

2022-08-18T11:00:18.942Z


Northern Algeria is affected by numerous and violent fires, particularly in the area of ​​El Tard, near the border with Tunisia


The balance sheet is still heavier.

The forest fires currently affecting Algeria have claimed 38 lives, official sources and media reported on Thursday.

In detail, 30 people lost their lives in the area of ​​El Tarf, in the far east of the country, near the border with Tunisia.

Five people died in Souk Ahras, two women in Sétif (east) and one person in Guelma, still in the east, according to civil protection, local journalists and Ennahar television.

In addition, more than 200 people were injured, according to local media.

The country is affected by violent fires, in 14 departments of the North.

On Wednesday afternoon, civil protection announced that 39 fires were still ongoing, including 16 in the El Tarf region alone.

Authorities fear fire outbreaks due to gusts of wind on Thursday.

Lack of material

In Souk Ahras, at least 350 families had to flee their homes.

Nearly a hundred women and 17 newborns, who were in a hospital near a forest area, had to be evacuated, reported a journalist present on the spot.

A major fire was still going on Thursday morning in the mountainous area of ​​Djebel Oued Chouk.

The dramatic situation highlights Algeria's lack of resources to fight the fires.

Civil protection and army water bomber helicopters responded to several fires and a Russian water bomber plane was chartered but it broke down and will not be operational again until this weekend -end, said the Minister of the Interior, Kamel Beldjoud.

Read also Forest fires: what is this “rule of three 30s” which warns of maximum risk?

According to the Mena Defense website, following their falling out with Spain - in connection with Madrid's change of position on the Western Sahara issue - the Algerian authorities canceled a contract with the Spanish company Plysa, a specialized subsidiary of the airline Air Nostrum, for the supply of seven water bomber planes.

And no plan B has been planned to replace all of these Spanish planes, according to various media.

Since the beginning of August, 106 fires have broken out in Algeria, destroying 800 ha of forest and 1,800 ha of coppice, said the Minister of the Interior.

Enough to revive the specter of the summer of 2021, the deadliest in the modern history of the country, which killed 90 people in forest fires.

Source: leparis

All tech articles on 2022-08-18

You may like

Trends 24h

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.