Fires continue to rage on the resort island of Rhodes, which spiraled out of control over the weekend, and major wildfires have also broken out elsewhere in Greece. The fire brigade announced that firefighting aircraft and helicopters should be used again around the village of Laerma on Rhodes with the first light of day on Monday. During the night, hundreds of firefighters fought against the flames spreading to other villages and towns, as reported by state television (ERT).
Thousands of tourists, who had to leave their hotels around the popular holiday town of Lindos on Saturday because of the heavy smoke and the ever-approaching flames, spent the second night in sports halls and schools. Many waited at the airport for the next opportunity to depart.
However, despite the fires, more tourists arrived on Sunday with charter and scheduled flights, reporters reported. About 90 percent of Rhodes’ hotels were unharmed by the fires, according to local authority officials – although most of them are fully booked given the peak season. The authorities spoke of almost 20,000 evacuees, tourists and locals.
Forest fires also include Corfu, Euboea and mainland Greece
Major fires have also broken out in numerous other Greek regions after a long drought. On Corfu The evacuation of the popular holiday resort of Nisaki began on Monday night. Coast Guard boats brought about 1,000 vacationers and residents to safety, state television reported. Also on the island Euboeaat Karystos, and on the peninsula Peloponnese Large fires were reported near the small port town of Egion on Monday morning. There, too, numerous villages were evacuated. No one has been injured so far, the emergency services said.