Russia’s Beriev Be-200 aircraft, designed for firefighting, for the second day have been engaged in efforts to combat a major forest fire in Turkey’s Antalya province.

"Three Russian Be-200 firefighting aircraft are providing assistance to Turkey in the regions where firefighting efforts are underway on the ground and from the air," the Russian embassy in Ankara said in a statement on Twitter on Thursday. 

The diplomatic mission was hopeful that "the forest fire in southern Turkey will be extinguished shortly so that it causes the least damage possible."

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the Turkish authorities have mobilized all available opportunities to eliminate forest fires that have spread to a number of regions of the country.

In connection with current situation, Erdogan maintains regular contacts with Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Bekir Pakdemirli, Minister of Environment and Urban Development Murat Kurum and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu, who arrived in one of the regions affected by the natural disaster.

The ministers informed the president about the situation in the wildfire zone.

The Turkish leader expressed condolences over the loss of life as a result of the fires and wished the victims a speedy recovery.

President Erdogan assured that the state will provide the necessary assistance in eliminating the consequences of the natural disaster.

A forest fire began on Wednesday near the resort city of Manavgat in Antalya Province in the south of Turkey. According to early reports, it was triggered by intense heat in the region. On Thursday, fires broke out in some other provinces, including the resort provinces of Aydin and Mugla. According to Turkey’s emergency management agency, at least four people have been killed and 183 have been injured.

Source - vesnikkavkaza.net

30 July 2021 / 10:54