Deadly Cyprus wildfire under full control, say authorities

The fires burned an area of about 55 sq km

Authorities in Cyprus say a deadly wildfire has been brought "under full control".

The blaze, described by an official as the worst in the country's history, burned an area of around 55 sq km (21 sq miles).

Four people died, while a 67-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of starting the fires.

The UK, Greece, Italy and Israel were among the countries that sent help to deal with the situation.

• Nations send help for worst Cyprus fire in decades

The fires, which broke out on the island on Saturday afternoon, were fanned by strong winds.

As they spread through the southern Limassol district, dozens of houses were burned and several villages evacuated.

The Forest Department announced that the blaze had been controlled at 08:00 (05:00 GMT) on Monday, but added that forces remained in the area to tackle any further outbreaks.

Several nations answered Cyprus's appeal for help to tackle the wildfire, with Greece, Israel, Italy and the UK providing assistance and firefighting aircraft.

"It is the worst forest fire in the history of Cyprus," Director of the Department of Forests Charalambos Alexandrou told local television over the weekend.

On Sunday, Cyprus's Interior Minister Nicos Mouris confirmed that all four people who died in the fires were Egyptian farm workers.

Their bodies were found about 600m from their burnt-out vehicle near the village of Odos. A local policeman told AFP news agency that it appeared they had fled the vehicle and became trapped by the flames.

Meanwhile, police have arrested a 67-year-old man on suspicion of arson. A witness saw a man driving away from the village of Arakapas, north-east of Limassol, at the same time the fire started on Saturday, police said.

President Nicos Anastasiades described the fire - in the foothills of the Troodos Mountains - as a tragedy.

In a tweet, he said it was "the largest fire since 1974" - referring to the year Cyprus was divided following a Turkish invasion - and had caused loss of life.

He pledged that the government would "provide immediate assistance to the victims" and their families.

Cyprus has been experiencing a week-long heatwave, with temperatures reaching up to 40C (104F).

Experts say that climate change is expected to increase the frequency of extreme weather events, such as heatwaves. However, linking any single event to global warming is complicated.