Greece to compensate fire-stricken households near Athens
ATHENS, Aug 20 (Reuters) -Greece said on Tuesday it would offer emergency compensation totalling millions of euros to hundreds of households and businesses affected by a blaze that killed one woman and torched 10,000 hectares near Athens.
The blaze began on Aug. 11 near the town of Varnavas, 35 km (22 miles) from the capital, and within a day reached the city's northern suburbs on the slopes of Mount Penteli, one of the last forests near Athens.
Inspections so far have identified some 146 houses severely damaged, with 31 businesses also affected.
Authorities will offer up to 150,000 euros ($166,650) to households, 80% in government aid and 20 percent in interest-free loans, and up to 500,000 euros to destroyed businesses, the Finance Ministry said in a statement.
It was not immediately clear how much the state had budgeted for compensation, but a government official told Reuters that the amount would exceed 30 million euros, including 5.2 million euros of extra subsidies to affected municipalities.
Wildfires have been a common feature of Greek summers for years, but climate change has brought hotter weather and less rain, heightening the risk. The country registered more than 8,000 forest fires in 2023.
The Greek Prime Minister's office said it will announce a detailed fire protection and reforestation plan for the wider Attica region by the end of September.
($1 = 0.9001 euros)
Reporting by Lefteris Papadimas; Editing by David Holmes
Latest News
Disclaimer: The XM Group entities provide execution-only service and access to our Online Trading Facility, permitting a person to view and/or use the content available on or via the website, is not intended to change or expand on this, nor does it change or expand on this. Such access and use are always subject to: (i) Terms and Conditions; (ii) Risk Warnings; and (iii) Full Disclaimer. Such content is therefore provided as no more than general information. Particularly, please be aware that the contents of our Online Trading Facility are neither a solicitation, nor an offer to enter any transactions on the financial markets. Trading on any financial market involves a significant level of risk to your capital.
All material published on our Online Trading Facility is intended for educational/informational purposes only, and does not contain – nor should it be considered as containing – financial, investment tax or trading advice and recommendations; or a record of our trading prices; or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instruments; or unsolicited financial promotions to you.
Any third-party content, as well as content prepared by XM, such as: opinions, news, research, analyses, prices and other information or links to third-party sites contained on this website are provided on an “as-is” basis, as general market commentary, and do not constitute investment advice. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, it would be considered as marketing communication under the relevant laws and regulations. Please ensure that you have read and understood our Notification on Non-Independent Investment. Research and Risk Warning concerning the foregoing information, which can be accessed here.
