A large, uncontrolled forest fire has led to the evacuation of thousands of tourists on the Greek island of Rhodes this Saturday. The Coast Guard has transferred more than 2,500 tourists by boat from the beaches of Kiotari and Lardos, on the eastern coast of the island, to other safe places. The evacuation became necessary due to the advance of the fire, which has affected at least seven towns in the center and eastern coast of the island and has generated a front of at least 25 kilometers.
It is estimated that at least 30,000 people have had to be displaced, with approximately 8,000 tourists present in the area when the evacuation order was given. In addition to the people affected, at least three hotels have been damaged by the flames, and the town of Laerma, in the center of the island, has been hit by fire, resulting in the burning of several houses.
The situation has generated scenes of evacuation on the beach, with tourists being transferred in vehicles to safe places. Due to the high demand for flights, many tourists have not been able to leave the island by plane. Faced with this situation, the Rhodes Port Authority has requisitioned all tourist boats in the area to assist in the evacuation operation, including a Navy ship deployed in the area.
Fortunately, no serious injuries have been reported so far, although eight people had to receive medical attention for minor respiratory problems. However, the fire has caused significant devastation to the island’s virgin forest, burning thousands of hectares.
The situation is exacerbated by the extreme heat wave in Greece, with temperatures that have exceeded 44 degrees in central Greece and are expected to reach 45 degrees on Sunday. There are forecasts of extreme fire risk in six regions of the country, including Rhodes, which has raised concerns that the fire could continue to spread on the island.