Tokyo - Saba:
Forest fires continue to spread in the Japanese city of Ofunato for the fifth consecutive day, covering about 1,800 hectares of land, amid intensive efforts to contain them.
According to the Japanese Broadcasting Corporation "NHK", today, Sunday, the fires that broke out last Wednesday devoured an additional 400 hectares since yesterday morning, Saturday, until six in the morning today.
Firefighting teams are making intensive efforts to control the fires by air and land, with smoke rising towards residential areas, while the Japanese Self-Defense Forces sent helicopters to assist in extinguishing operations.
The authorities issued orders to evacuate residents of 16 areas, while more than 1,200 people took refuge in temporary shelters inside the city
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