Mandra-Eidyllia

The wildfire raging in Dervenochoria, about 30 km north of Athens, is now threatening the town of Mandra (near Elefsina) and settlements around it, its mayor has said.

Christos Stathis, mayor of Mandra-Eidyllia, urged residents to evacuate as a precautionary measure in the face of the approaching fire front, which is estimated to be 20-kilometers long.

Authorities have extended a hard lockdown on the western Athens municipalities of Elefsina and Aspropyrgos until Wednesday, January 6, at 6 a.m., Civil Protection Minister Nikos Hardalias told a press briefing on Tuesday, due to their heavy epidemiological burden.

Just a few days after the partial easing of restrictive measures to contain coronavirus cases, the pandemic has surged again in Western Attica, prompting immediate emergency action, with Deputy Minister of Civil Protection Nikos Hardalias announcing a ban on movement from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Concerns are rising about racist violence following a series of incidents culminating in an attack by a group of masked men on refugees at a reception facility in Konitsa, northeastern Greece, on Sunday.

One minor was hurt in the Konitsa attack, which took place during a sporting event involving refugee children, according to nongovernmental organization Arsis.