SONNA – Thousands of tourists were evacuated from hotels on Rhodes island on Saturday as a wildfire in Greece continued to spread to settlements due to strong winds, local media reported.
Thousands of tourists were evacuated from three hotels on the southeastern coast of Rhodes island as a huge wildfire that had been burning on the island since Tuesday morning continued to spread quickly.
Tourists in the area of Kiotari were first gradually transferred to a nearby beach and then to safe areas on the island, the daily Kathimerini reported, citing authorities.
Residents in the villages of Lardos, Pylonas, Asklipios, and Kiotari were also advised to evacuate to Gennadi by the country’s Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Ministry.
A total of 173 firefighters, as well as fire extinguisher aircraft, are battling the blazes against strong winds.
Meanwhile, a large part of the island was without electricity as part of a series of planned power outages by the public power utility, the daily said.
Greece has been struggling to put out raging wildfires, with firefighting planes from many countries, including Türkiye, arriving to help extinguish the flames that burned houses and destroyed the environment.
Source: Anadol
