Abruzzo was the latest region to be hit by destructive wild fires. Beachgoers were evacuated from a beach in Pescara as columns of black smoke rose in the sky.
At least five people were wounded and holidaymakers evacuated after wildfires devastated a pine wood near a beach in Pescara, Italy.
A five-year-old girl was taken to hospital but her condition is not believed to be life-threatening, according to reports.
800 people evacuated in Abruzzo
About 800 people were evacuated from their homes, including a convent of nuns, after a fire broke out in the 53-hectare (131-acre) Pineta Dannunziana nature reserve.
“We had to evacuate several homes and beach resorts due to the smoke,” said Carlo Masci, the mayor of Pescara. “The biggest problem is the hot wind. We are doing the best we can to limit the damage.”
After Sardinia and Sicily in recent weeks, Abruzzo has become the latest Italian region to be hit by devastating wildfires.
“We still have dozens of people out of their homes, including 33 nuns from a convent,” Masci added.
“There is a great deal of anxiety and it hurts even more today to see the skeletons of the trees. The damage suffered yesterday is immeasurable”.
Dramatic weekend of fires
Civil Protection Department Chief Fabrizio Curcio said that Sunday had been “dramatic”. The services received over 50 requests for interventions to tackle wildfires in central and southern Italy.
Speaking to Mediaset television, Curcio said wildfire-prevention measures should be a priority all year, not just in the summer.
There are also forest fires in Molise and Marche.