Italy: Forest fires have reached the Sicilian city of Catania

Firefighters in Italy continue to fight forest fires, with the fires reaching the Sicilian port city of Catania.

About 150 people were trapped in two coastal areas of Catania, after which they were evacuated by sea, where they were picked up in rubber boats and transferred to Coast Guard boats.

The fires also forced the temporary closure of the region’s airport as part of a procedure that prioritizes air rescue and firefighting operations.

The fire brigade reported that in the last 24 hours, they have conducted 250 operations across the island of Sicily, including 50 in Catania alone.

Fires engulfed the port city area, destroying the local beach resort of La Capannina

Temperatures reached 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), with hot winds fanning flames across Sicily, and fires also broke out in the province of Palermo, bringing ash to the island’s capital.

Earlier this week, fires engulfed parts of southern Europe, including Spain and Turkey, and devastated the Italian island of Sardinia.

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