Thousands of tourists flee devastating wildfire in popular Greek island
Thousands of tourists and residents have been forced to flee a popular Greek vacation island Rhodes due to devastating wildfires that have been burning for six days.
As the fires continue to spread across the island, approximately 19,000 people have been forced to evacuate, including both tourists and residents.
The scale of the evacuation is unprecedented, making it the largest ever in Greece's history.
Some holidaymakers said they walked for miles in scorching heat to reach safety. The fires left trees black and skeletal. Dead animals lay in the road near burnt-out car.
A fire brigade official said the wildfires on Rhodes have affected 10% of hotels in the central and southeast parts of the island. The north and western parts were not affected.
The severity of the situation has led to the cancellation of flights to and from the island, leaving many stranded and unable to leave.
The Greek government has sought assistance from neighboring countries and international partners to aid in the firefighting efforts.
As the situation unfolds, authorities are urging residents and tourists to remain vigilant and follow evacuation orders to ensure their safety.
Thanasis Virinis, a vice mayor of Rhodes, told Mega television on Sunday that between 4,000 and 5,000 people were in temporary accommodation.
According to authorities evacuees have been taken to conference centers and school buildings, where they are given food, water and medical assistance.
Temperatures over the past week have exceeded 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in many parts of Greece. In addition to Rhodes, emergency services were dealing with fires on the island of Evia, east of Athens and Aigio, southwest of Athens, and on the island of Corfu where authorities ordered the precautionary evacuation of a number of small settlements.
Local officials on Rhodes said on Saturday they had moved 30,000 people threatened by wildfires to safety -- including 2,000 who had to be ferried off beaches.
George Hadjimarkos, regional governor of the South Aegean, told Skai television that the operation, which was still ongoing, had been hampered by fires cutting off some road access.
Rhodes is a hugely popular holiday destination, particularly with visitors from Britain.
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