ANKARA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th July, 2020) The Dardanelles strait in Turkey has been closed to sea traffic due to a massive bushfire on the Gallipoli peninsula in order to make way for fire extinguishing operations from sea, Turkish media reported on Monday, citing officials.
According to the Hurriyet daily, citing Turkish Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Bekir Pakdemirli, the fire broke out in the forest near the village of Ilgardere at around 3 p.m. (12:00 GMT) for reasons not yet determined.
The extinguishing effort has reportedly mobilized two amphibious aircraft, 20 helicopters, 107 fire fighting units and about 400 firemen.
Authorities have evacuated near 300 people from the village and, as stated by provincial mayor Ilhami Aktas, the entire neighboring village of Yalova could be evacuated as well if the fire persists.
There have been no reported casualties or damage from the fire at this point.
The Gallipoli peninsula has for more than a week endured heat exceeding 34 degrees Celsius (93.2 degrees Fahrenheit).
The Dardanelles happens to be the only passage from Russia's Black Sea ports to outer seas.
Sputnik has learned from Russia's premier pipeline company Transneft that the disruption has so far not affected the schedule of oil shipments from the southern Russian port city of Novorossiysk.
"The blockage of vessels in the Dardanelles strait in Turkey has not in any way affected the schedule of outgoing shipments in Novorossiysk at this point," Transneft spokesman Igor Demin said.
The spokesman clarified that should the disruption persist, the company would take measures as appropriate.
