A severe wildfire tore through Croatia's coastline overnight into Friday, killing at least one person and injuring around 40 others, authorities said.
The blaze broke out near the village of Lokva Rogoznica on Thursday evening and spread rapidly toward the nearby tourist town of Omis, located 6 kilometers from the initial outbreak. Flames engulfed settlements and trees across approximately 2,470 acres, turning the night sky red above the scenic Dalmatian coastal town.
Around 1,200 residents and tourists were evacuated from the affected area. Emergency shelters opened in several towns stretching from Omis to Split accommodated approximately 1,000 people overnight. Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said 10 people were in intensive care in hospital.
Of 36 people treated by ambulance services in the city of Split, about 15.5 miles north of Omis, 14 were hospitalized and seven had life-threatening injuries, health officials said. The fire chief Slavko Tucakovic described the blaze as "one of the worst" in the country's history, noting that the firestorm burned through "everything in their path" as it coursed through pine forest-lined hillsides.
The wildfire caused extensive damage to homes and cars in villages near the Adriatic city of Split. Prime Minister Plenkovic announced during a meeting with officials from Split-Dalmatia County that the government would provide economic aid to repair damage caused by the flames.
President Zoran Milanovic traveled to the affected area on Friday. Croatia is among several European nations experiencing devastating wildfires during a period of extreme heat and dry conditions.
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