The country is enduring its worst heatwave in decades. More than 118 wildfires have been reported in the last 72 hours, destroying forest areas, vilages and threatening the lives of humans and animals.
Over the last couple of weeks Greece has been experiencing its worst heatwave in more than three decades, temperatures reached 45°C in some regions and have dried out our very dense pine forests making it very easy for the fire to spread very fast. Hundreds of houses and many villages have been destroyed by the blazes in the island of Evia, the northern suburbs of Athens and the Peloponnese
Athens is engulfed in smoke, the Greek health authority reported levels of up to 465 micrograms of fine dust per cubic meter in the city center, the EU limit is 50 micrograms. Thousands of people have fled their homes, thousands of animals have been burned alive or suffocated by the smoke and over 100.000 acres of forest land have been reduced to ashes.
How to help from Greece
Several volunteer organisations are gathering supplies for the affected areas. Since the needs change by the minute, you can get the latest updates on where and how you can help from these pages:
@hellenicredcross @act4naturaldisasters @act4evoia @act4peloponnese @oallosanthropos
For reporting and searching for lost and injured animals as well as where to find accommodation, first aid and/or offer to host a wounded animal check out:
@dogsvoice animals.oloimaziboroume.gr @animawild
How to help locally and abroad:
- The @hellenicredcross has set up a bank account to financially support the affected areas. EUROBANK IBAN: GR26 0260 2400 0003 0020 1205 013 SWIFT CODE: ERBKGRAAXXX All transactions must mention “PYRKAGIES”
- You can support the social kitchen “O Allos Anthropos” (@oallosanthropos) in buying and delivering food and medical supplies to the affected areas by donating to: https://www.paypal.me/oallosanthropos or National Bank of Greece IBAN GR78 0110 0840 0000 0846 0940 235 Beneficiary: PANAGOULA M. POLYCHRONOPOULOU SWIFT / BIC: ETHNGRAA.
- You can support the ANIMA (@animawild) Wildlife Care & Protection Center by donating in these bank accounts: EUROBANK: IBAN: GR46 0260 0520 0002 101 0115 2035 BIC: ERBKGRAA Beneficiary: SYLLOGOS PROSTASIAS & PERITHALPSIS AGRIAS ZOIS PIRAEUS BANK: ΙΒΑΝ: GR79 0172 0370 0050 3705 5201 578 BIC: PIRBGRAA) Wildlife Care & Protection Center by donating to these bank accounts: Beneficiary: SYLLOGOS PROSTASIAS & PERITHALPSIS AGRIAS ZOIS
Be vocal about climate change and demand that policymakers take action.
Source: Erasmus Student Network Greece
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