Sunday 26 August 2007

Under Attack


Having disappeared for a few days, inundated with the demands at the work front, I return bearing apologies for my disappearance along with bad news.

For the past three days, Greece and in particular the Peloponese and Evia have been on fire! They even started a couple of fires at the remaining parts of green surrounding Athens, which were thankfully put out. Saturday morning, the skies over the capital were covered by thick smoke, and it was literally raining ashes!

With an approximate 200 odd wild fires over the past days, the situation is pretty desperate, and the whole country has been set in a state of emergency and assistance has been requested from our international friends. Greece is under attack!
The weather is on the arsonists side, since this time of the year the prevailing north-eastern winds keep the fires burning, while they consume tree after tree, village after village, leaving behind them chaos and disaster.

The authorities were once again caught with their pants down, unprepared and in a state of utter panic and disorganisation. Watching pictures of people fighting the fires with branches, buckets of water and garden hoses, trying in vain to save their livelihood from the ten meter high flames, just shows the desperation of the situation.
We are already mourning the deaths of 53 people, who were unable to flee their houses and were caught in the midst of the raging inferno. The charred remains of a woman were found in a car, along with her three children!

Fears that that there is some kind of sinister plan to destroy this country are enhanced by the simultaneous appearance of new fronts during the evenings - when the fire fighting aircraft can not operate - and the recovery of sophisticated incendiary devices. There's even a video of a couple of guys starting a fire at the forests near Athens!

At the time of writing these lines, the raging fire is steadily approaching the sacred ancient site of Olympia - the cradle of the Olympic Games - and it is yet unclear whether the museum has been consumed by the flames or not!

Over the past three days people have lost their houses, all their possessions, while beautiful forests have been reduced to ashes. The only hope is the spirit of these people!

As a country we have been through several disasters over the centuries and still have managed to recover and come back strong.

Let's just hope that the Phoenix will soon resurrect from its ashes and fly high in full pride!

15 comments:

Rebecca said...

Oh, Epi! I am so sorry to hear that this is happening. I read about the fires in the news, and was worried for you. Glad you are well, and hope that Olympia and its museum are spared. What a summer it has been!

Anonymous said...

Epi, I am so deeply sorry for the situation in Greece. My God, I cannot imagine how sick someone would have to be to destroy such beauty. ...and I cannot imagine how painful it must be for you to witness. Take care, and know that my thoughts are with you and your country.

Blur Ting said...

Oh dear. We read about this in our papers too. It's a really wicked act. I hope this will never happen again.

Kate said...

Epi-
I thought of you immediately today when I saw the papers. Just unbelievable. I feel so bad for all of you. I'm praying for rain.

Loz said...

Epi - living in the hills of Melbourne I have seen several bushfires close to home and in 1983 we lost more than 70 people when much of the south east of our country was alight. I truly hope the situation eases and that the perpetrators are caught.

Anonymous said...

Yes i have been thinking of you when hearing about these wildfires... i only hope that indeed the arsonists are caught and caught soon! We often have these types of fires where my brother lives in California..but NOT like this! Here's to your safety and glad that you are in harms way.

Amel said...

OH DEAR!!!

This is HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE news. I'm speechless and I can only agree with what you say...hope the Phoenix will resurrect from its ashes.

Alice Kildaire said...

I have been hopeful you and yours have been spared by the flames and will continue to pray for this nightmare to end.

Michelle said...

I have been following the news bulletins. It's just horrific, Epi! :-(

I hope all your family (and you) are in safe areas.

Sending prayers and wishes this madness stops soon.

Angie Weid said...

I am sorry to hear about these fires. Wish I could send some of our flooding rainstorms your way.

Hang in there!!

Anonymous said...

Hi Epi. Just wanted you to know I was thinking about you. I hope things are better today.

Rebecca said...

Hi, Epi. I echo the sentiments of everyone above. Hope you and yours are safe.

Unknown said...

This is beyond terrible and heartbreaking. To destroy such beauty is inhuman

Epimenides said...

I wish to thank you all for your kind words and support in these difficult days Greece is facing!
A great big THANKS from the bottom of my heart!

Anonymous said...

Man, all I can say is, what a nightmare!