Dozens of firefighters and volunteers fought for hours with the savage flames threatening to destroy Olympia, the ancient site where the Olympic Games took place for the first time and numerous artifacts are hosted.

The museum and stadium were protected from the wildfire, but the entire area surrounding the venue was destroyed by raging flames fueled by strong winds. One of ancient Greece's sanctuaries was covered by smoke, as trees and other vegetation became ash in a blink of an eye.

The hill of Kronos dominating the landscape was swept by savage flames, authorities fearing the blaze caused an “immense environmental catastrophe.”

Hundreds of homes were destroyed, at least 53 people lost their lives and entire villages in the Peloponnese peninsula are about to be erased from the map by this inferno.

Greek authorities received aid from the international community, thirteen firefighting planes and helicopters flying incessantly on Sunday trying to quench the thirst of merciless flames sweeping southern Greece.

The country’s capital Athens is also threatened by the wall of fire, the city’s mayor announcing that several houses on the outskirts have been burned down and the powerful wind pushes the blaze towards the metropolis.

Numerous villages and towns on the Evia island have been evacuated on Sunday, ferries transporting hundreds of residents to the mainland. Thousands of people had to leave their homes behind and take shelter in other towns or in emergency centers marked by authorities.

After preliminary investigations revealed that several individuals started the fires, authorities arrested seven people and offered substantial rewards for any information leading to the culprits.