ARAKAPAS, (Cyprus): Cyprus said a deadly forest fire that was the worst to hit the island in decades was close to being brought under control Sunday after water bombing by Greek and Israeli aircraft. Fanned by strong winds, the fire broke out Saturday afternoon and swept through the southern foothills of the Troodos mountain range as the country grappled with a blistering heatwave.

The blaze killed four Egyptian labourers, destroyed 50 homes, damaged farms and power lines, and forced the evacuation of 10 villages.

"Everything was a nightmare and pure hell here; the village was surrounded by fire," said Akis Giorgiou, 45, from the hamlet of Arakapas.

By late Sunday afternoon, the government reported a "reduction of (fire) outbreaks" thanks to "effective water drops by Greek and Israeli aircraft".

The Egyptian government said the four dead were farm workers from the North African country, while Nicosia vowed in a tweet to "stand by the victims' families... offering every support".

"It is a tragedy," President Nicos Anastasiades said on Twitter, describing it as "the largest fire since 1974", the year when the island was divided after Turkey occupied its northern third.

More than 50 square kilometres (20 square miles) of forest and farmland had been destroyed.