Over 40 people have died so far in Algeria, Italy and Greece and thousands of others were evacuated as Mediterranean wildfires continued to pose a threat for villages and holiday resorts in the region.

The entire island of Rhodes has been put into a state of emergency, as fires also rage on Corfu and Evia, reports BBC.

With heatwaves not showing any signs of improvement, temperatures are expected to rise above 44C (111F) in several parts of Greece.

Thousands of people have escaped fires in  Sicily and Puglia.

High winds and tinder-dry vegetation are disrupting the process of firefighting carried out by firefighters.

Meanwhile, two charred bodies were found near Palermo who are supposed to be victims of the wildfire.

The bodies were found in a rundown shack in Cinisi not far from the airport, reports ANSA.

The identities of the people are still not known.

The two were approximately 77 and 75 years old, medical examiners told the news agency.