ABOUT 1000 TOURISTS AND LOCAL RESIDENTS EVACUATED FROM PELJESAC

( Editorial: --> 2095 ) ZAGREB, Aug 6 (Hina) - About 350 tourists and 700 local residents have been evacuated from the Peljesac peninsula (southern Adriatic) due to a fire which broke out Wednesday night. Two women were killed in the fire. An investigation into their deaths is being conducted, Slavko Rako of the Interior Ministry public relations office told Croatian Television on Thursday. The fire broke out some time after 7pm. Shortly after the police were informed, local professional and volunteer fire brigades, members of the civil defence and fire brigades from inland Croatia were called to help contain the fire. The unfavourable weather conditions are hampering efforts to extinguish the fire, Rako said. According to the latest information from the Interior Ministry, the fire has consumed about 2,000 hectares of underbrush and pine wood on the peninsula. Between 15 and 20 houses were consumed by fire in the village of Viganj. (hina) rml 061346 MET aug 98