Sicily travel warning: Wildfires force evacuation of tourists and transport disruption

Wildfires have been raging across the Italian island of Sicily, spread by strong winds and arid conditions. 

The blazes have forced residents and tourists to evacuate and caused severe public transport disruption. 

Palermo Airport, which services the island’s capital, was forced to close early on Tuesday morning after fires broke out nearby.

Catania Airport, where an accidental fire damaged a terminal building earlier this month, remains partially closed leading to fears of huge economic losses from tourism. 

It comes as Sicily swelters in soaring temperatures, creeping towards the European record that was reached two years ago on the island.

Catania, a city on the east coast, registered 47.6 C on Monday afternoon.

According to local media reports, firefighters have succeeded in extinguishing large areas of the wildfires, but some are still raging including around the cities of Palermo, Catania and Messina.

Three people have died. The charred bodies of an elderly couple were found in their home near Palermo while a woman is reported to have died after an ambulance was prevented by the fire from reaching her house.

The 15th-century church of Santa Maria di Gesù in Palermo has been reduced to rubble by the flames.

Sicily's president Renato Schifani said the fire had made Tuesday "one of the most difficult days in decades". 

Authorities are already estimating that the wildfires have caused €260 million of damage. 

In Catania on the east coast, homes are without power and water supplies partly due to the heat. 

Local residents have taken to social media to bring attention to the disaster.

"People cannot BREATHE from how polluted and hot air is, they are being forced on the street because their homes are BURNING," writes Twitter user