Evacuation of Russian tourists underway after wildfires in southern Turkey

The evacuation of 100 Russian tourists is underway from the Titanic Deluxe Bodrum Hotel in Turkey after a forest fire, the Russian Association of Tour Operators (ATOR) said on Thursday.

"The hotel itself is not on fire. The tourists are being evacuated as part of precautionary measures. A forest on a hill adjacent to Titanic Deluxe Bodrum Hotel buildings is burning. The tourists are being moved to the nearby Lujo Hotel Bodrum and La Blanche Resort Bodrum. As for these two hotels, there has been no decision on evacuating tourists yet," Deputy Director General of the Anex Tour company Yana Muromova was quoted as saying, TASS reported.

According to her, the situation is changing rapidly but the Turkish authorities expect that the fire will be contained by the end of the day so that tourists can return to their hotel on Thursday night or Friday morning.

Meanwhile, 183 people suffered from smoke inhalation from a wildfire in Antalya's Manavgat.

Sputnik quoting minister of Forestry and Agriculture Bekir Pakdemirli reported that wildfires across southern Turkey have injured over 180 people.

"At the moment, we have 183 injured people in total. Due to the heat, fires were expected, but, unfortunately, they broke out almost on the same day. It will take time to fully take control of them," Pakdemiril told reporters.

According to earlier reports, a fire in the Mavangat area of the Antalya province killed at least three people.

The minister also said that one hotel in the Guverncinlik area of Bodrum has been evacuated due to the approaching wildfire, Sputnik reported further.