A member of a rescue team searches the area where burned trees hug the coastline in Mati, east of Athens, Tuesday, July 24, 2018. Wildfires raged thro... A member of a rescue team searches the area where burned trees hug the coastline in Mati, east of Athens, Tuesday, July 24, 2018. Wildfires raged through seaside resorts near the Greek capital, torching homes, cars and forests and killing at least 74 people, authorities said Tuesday. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

A crane removes a burned car from the road in Mati, east of Athens, Tuesday, July 24, 2018. Wildfires raged through seaside resorts near the Greek cap... A crane removes a burned car from the road in Mati, east of Athens, Tuesday, July 24, 2018. Wildfires raged through seaside resorts near the Greek capital, torching homes, cars and forests and killing at least 74 people, authorities said Tuesday. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

People look the burned forest from their balcony in Neos Voutzas, east of Athens, Tuesday, July 24, 2018. Wildfires raged through seaside resorts near... People look the burned forest from their balcony in Neos Voutzas, east of Athens, Tuesday, July 24, 2018. Wildfires raged through seaside resorts near the Greek capital, torching homes, cars and forests and killing at least 74 people, authorities said Tuesday. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

A burned house is seen in Agios Andreas, east of Athens, Tuesday, July 24, 2018. Wildfires raged through seaside resorts near the Greek capital, torch... A burned house is seen in Agios Andreas, east of Athens, Tuesday, July 24, 2018. Wildfires raged through seaside resorts near the Greek capital, torching homes, cars and forests and killing at least 74 people, authorities said Tuesday. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Rescue crews are searching through charred homes and cars for the missing after wildfires decimated seaside areas near the Greek capital, killing at least 49 people and sending thousands fleeing.

There was no official indication Wednesday as to how many people might be missing, and some people took to social media and Greek television stations with appeals for information on their loved ones. The death toll was expected to increase as crews searched more of the areas affected by the fires.

More than 280 firefighters were still in the area to the northeast of Athens, dousing the remaining flames to prevent flare-ups. Another 200 firefighters were tackling the second forest fire west of Athens, where local authorities pre-emptively evacuated three nearby communities overnight, according to the fire department.