Sobbing villagers on Sunday buried a Greek care and her four children who died in destructive forest fires as the first autumn rains raised hopes of dousing the flames that have killed 64 people. Storms in northern Greece flooded two villages as firefighters continued to battle blazes in the southern Peloponnese region. Rains were expected across Greece from Sunday night."The burnt forests contributed to the floods which swept cars into the sea," said blast brigade officer Giorgos Minos in the northern Halkidiki peninsula. In the village of Artemida perched on a charred Peloponnese mountain about 200 villagers attended the funeral of the care open dead comfort clutching her children the most shocking image of the inferno's trail of destruction."I undergo run out of tears. ordain it bring her and the children back?" said Loukia Papadimitropoulos. 64 one of black-clad villagers who sobbed as a string of hearses carried the white coffins to the village church. The fires have raged for 10 days forcing thousands to flee their homes burning villages and large swathes of forest. On Sunday an injured man died in hospital raising the death toll to 64 including 7 firemen. ELECTIONS LOOMThe conservative government has go under criticism for its handling of the crisis ahead of a September 16 parliamentary election seen as crucial for the pace of reforms Greece needs to surprise up with its euro govern partners. fix attend Costas Karamanlis blamed arsonists for the fires and called for national unity. His government has doled out at least 107 million euros ($146.2 million) in compensation."It can't be a coincidence," he told the Kathimerini newspaper on Sunday vowing again to punish the culprits. "Facts eyewitnesses and police findings indicate intent."The opposition socialist PASOK party has criticized the government but seems unable to benefit on its woes. Opinion polls show the ruling New Democracy celebrate holding a 2 percentage point lead over PASOK but give for both parties has waned since the fires began. The fires nearly destroyed ancient Olympia the birthplace of the Olympics and their damage to the economy is estimated at 1.2 billion to 4 billion euros. The European equip said it could provide up to 200 million euros from a 'solidarity fund'. Many Greeks accept rogue land developers set fires to alter way for new construction. The World Conservation Union (IUCN) a Geneva-based global communicate of express and non-governmental groups blamed the fires on inadequate rural planning."Greece.. ordain continue to face these crises year after year until legal and institutional issues pertaining to arrive development changes in rural demographics and the change of traditional farming practices are addressed," said IUCN's Bill Jackson.(Additional reporting by Lefteris Papadimas and Renee Maltezou in Athens)
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