4 killed, 10 hospitalised in forest fires in eastern Ukraine

HANDOUT / STATE EMERGENCY SERVICE OF UKRAINE / AFP

Four people died and 10 were hospitalised as a series of forest fires swept through part of the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk on Thursday.

The fires threatened 22 settlements and engulfed an area of about 18,000 hectares, the service said in a statement, adding that 120 people were evacuated.

Local authorities said there were a total of 146 fires, 82 of them were extinguished.

Most of the fires are located near the area controlled by pro-Russian separatists and local Ukrainian authorities have stated that the fires may have been caused by shelling from the separatists.

The Ukrainian presidential office called on law enforcement bodies to find the cause of the fires.

"The reasons for such a large-scale spread of fire must be clearly established," the office said in a statement.

"We also take into account the information about provocative shelling that could have been carried out from the temporarily occupied territory... and could have caused at least some of these fires in such weather conditions," it added.

More from International

  • Israeli airstrikes kill 11 in Gaza, Palestinians say

    At least 11 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes in the northern and southern Gaza Strip on Sunday, Palestinian civil defence and health officials said, in what Israel's military called a response to Hamas ceasefire violations.

  • Rubio visits eastern Europe to bolster ties

    US Secretary of State Marco Rubio began a two-day trip to eastern Europe on Sunday to bolster ties with Slovakia and Hungary, whose conservative leaders, often at odds with other European Union countries, have warm ties with President Donald Trump.

  • New Zealand braces for more flooding after road collapses, one death

    New Zealand's weather forecaster on Sunday warned more flooding could hit the country's North Island, a day after floods caused power outages, road collapses, home evacuations and was linked to the death of a man whose vehicle was submerged on a highway.

  • Rubio tells Munich security forum US, Europe belong together

    US Secretary of State Marco Rubio gave a message of unity to Europeans on Saturday, saying Washington does not intend to abandon the transatlantic alliance, but that Europe's leaders had made a number of policy mistakes and need to change course.

  • Canadians 'will always be with you' says PM at Tumbler Ridge vigil

    Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told grieving residents of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, on Friday that Canadians "will always be with you" at a vigil to mourn victims of one of the country's worst mass shootings.

Coming Up on Dubai Eye

  • The Music Mix

    11:00pm - 6:00am

    Enjoy your favourite music back to back commercial free, tune in to the Music Mix everyday from 1 until 2 for the music you love and the news updates you need

  • The Business Breakfast

    6:00am - 10:00am

    The Business Breakfast is the day’s must listen for the UAE’s business leaders, and those who aspire to be.

BUSINESS BREAKFAST LATEST

On Dubai Eye

  • Is There Sufficient House Supply In UAE

    Dubai’s current population is more than double compared to almost twenty years ago, which now stands at 3.7 million. Lots of families are also moving to the UAE now. So what does it mean for the property market?

  • Noon's First Female Delivery Driver

    Glory Ehirim Nkiruka is Noon’s first ever female delivery driver. In her first ever interview, she explained why she loves her job, despite the heat!