Wild weather hits Europe holiday hotspots with 40C forecasts, villages evacuated, tourists rescued from beaches…& FLOODS

WILD weather has thrown Europe into chaos as fires rage across holiday hotspots in Croatia and Greece and horror floods rip through Spain. Hundreds of terrified tourists have been evacuated from beaches in Halkidiki, northern Greece, as a “wall of flames” menaced two popular resorts. Locals and tourists evacuate by boat from the seaside town of Siviri Credit: Reuters Rescuers pull tourists and locals fleeing the fires from pontoons into boats Credit: AFP The hellish inferno ate through apartments and forests surrounding Siviri and Fourka, forcing 500 holidaymakers to flee into the sea and board dinghies and boats. Parents clutching small children in their arms were hauled from the water by emergency crews as others queued on pontoons awaiting escape. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Water-bombing planes, helicopters and more than 200 firefighters battled for hours to stop the flames from spreading further. The region is dominated by flammable pine forests where the blaze is thought to have erupted, with firefighters saying strong winds made battling the blaze harder. A huge wildfire broke out in Omis, southern Croatia leaving seven people in critical condition Credit: AP Firefighters scramble to tackle the blaze raging through Omis Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Heavy gusts also blighted firefighting efforts on Croatia‘s coast, where seven people were left in critical condition after a huge blaze broke out on Thursday night. Nearly 300 Croatian firefighters battled with “one of the worst” wildfires in the country’s history, authorities said Friday. Around 1000 people were forced to evacuate from Omis, south of Split, as the fire ripped through the surrounding hills. “At this stage, nineteen people have been injured. Among them, some residents are seriously injured,” the Croatian fire chief, Slavko Tucakovic said. Most read in The Sun A fireman sprays water to extinguish a wildfire near Siviri, northern Greece Credit: AFP A water-bombing helicopter drops water over a pine massif in south-western France Credit: Reuters “It was frightening even to watch. Many houses, cafes, restaurants, cars, and boats that were on dry land were damaged,” he said. Several shelters have been opened in nearby coastal towns to support the influx of evacuees. Successive heatwaves have spread across Europe this summer sparking terrifying wildfires that have scorched unprecedented amounts of land. And the heat has picked up again this week, with weather agencies warning temperatures could exceed 40C in areas of France. On Thursday a blaze burnt through 1000 hectares of the Landes forest, southwestern France, forcing around 500 people to evacuate. Fire chief Arnaud Fabre said the fire was slowing but feared potential flare-ups as the heat returns. Placed under an orange heatwave warning, the Landes region has already seen temperatures exceed 40C near the affected area. In the German town of Huertgenwald, 1,800 people fled their homes after wildfires expanded from 25 hectares to 300 hectares overnight. Flash floods have unleashed chaos across parts of Andalucia, Spain Credit: Solarpix Muddy water surges into a plaza after violent thunderstorms in the region Credit: Solarpix Residents were urged to “take only the most important personal items” as the wall of fire drew closer. Around 300 emergency services were deployed alongside helicopters and army equipment to help tackle the flames. Meanwhile flash floods unleashed chaos across parts of Andalucia, Spain, as violent thunderstorms dumped torrential rain, hail and powerful winds on the region. In a matter of minutes roads were transformed into raging rivers as torrents of muddy water swept through streets. In Cambil, a torrent of water came surging down a residential street, flooding the area around homes as the deluge gathered pace. Nearby Carchelejo was also battered by the storm, with dramatic footage showing a plaza submerged beneath floodwater. Dramatic footage showed the aftermath of the flash flood, with cars left stranded amid the devastation. Comment now