Greece evacuates villages as forest fire rages in Corinth region

ATHENS: Authorities in the Corinth region of southern Greece have moved people from six villages to safety as fire fighters battled a forest fire with scores of trucks and 21 aircraft, they said on Thursday.

No deaths were reported in the blaze that broke out on Wednesday night at a small seaside holiday resort on the Peloponnese peninsula, about 90 km from the capital, Athens.

Authorities ordered the evacuation of six villages and two monasteries in the Gerania mountains as a precaution, a fire brigade official said.

"Some 300 people have been evacuated," police spokesman Theodoros Chronopoulos told Reuters.

More than 180 fire fighters were battling the blaze backed by 62 fire trucks, 17 aircraft and three helicopters, the fire brigade said on Twitter.