Nicosia - Saba:
Two people were killed and hundreds evacuated due to a massive forest fire that broke out in southern Cyprus on Wednesday, destroying homes and threatening residential areas amid an intense heatwave.
According to Reuters, at least 100 square kilometers (36 square miles) of land were destroyed in a wine-producing region north of the city of Limassol after the fire broke out around midday on Wednesday.
Two people were found dead in a burned-out car, trapped by the blaze, and at least 10 people were injured, two of them seriously, according to police.
Authorities said it was too early to provide an accurate account of the damage or the cause of the fire.
"We are talking about very strong winds, with constant gusts," said fire department spokesman Andreas Kitis.
Temperatures on the island peaked at 43 degrees Celsius (109.4 degrees Fahrenheit) on Wednesday, prompting a weather warning.
A warning was also issued on Thursday, with a forecast of a maximum temperature of 44 degrees Celsius (101.7 degrees Fahrenheit), the highest temperature so far this year.Cyprus has requested assistance through the European Union's Civil Protection Mechanism, and Spain is expected to send two planes on Thursday, according to government spokesman Konstantinos Litimpiotis. Jordan has also pledged assistance.