On Monday, Greek authorities issued evacuation orders for the latest island, Corfu, in the country’s relentless battle against devastating wildfires.
Viral images on social media display devastating flames engulfing Corfu, particularly impacting the northern part of the island, known for its British tourist population.
The crisis follows a recent evacuation of roughly 19,000 inhabitants from the island of Rhodes, another Greek hotspot severely hit by wildfires. Many individuals were forced to leave their hotels as the flames persistently spread across central parts of the Greek island.
Greece is currently experiencing a fierce heatwave, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius countrywide. Fires have been blazing for about a week in certain regions.
In response to the exceptional circumstances created by the wildfires, the Greek presidency has canceled the forthcoming national holiday scheduled for Monday. On Sunday evening, Greece’s emergency communications service issued evacuation orders for several parts of Corfu. Residents in the regions of Santa, Migoula, Porta, Palia, Prethia, and Sinez were instructed to evacuate.
Government representatives confirmed that boats have been dispatched to aid in the sea evacuation of residents. Corfu, nestled in the Ionian Sea northwest of Greece, attracts hundreds of thousands of British tourists annually.
Rhodes, situated approximately 1027 kilometers away, has been combating forest fires stoked by powerful winds since Tuesday. Smoke-cloaking tourist spots initiated the evacuation of nearly 16,000 individuals by land and an additional 3,000 by sea, according to local officials. The Greek Ministry of Climate Change and Civil Protection characterized the operation as the “largest evacuation prompted by a severe fire in the country”.
Thousands of vacationers were compelled to stay in temporary tents at Rhodes Airport on Sunday, awaiting their departure flights. The spokesperson for the Greek Police, Constancia Demouglidou, reported to the Agence France-Presse that nationwide evacuations have so far surpassed 30,000 people.
Tourists recounted walking miles in extreme temperatures to secure safety, with dead animals and charred vehicles marking their path. Jet2 and TUI have respectively canceled five and all flights to Rhodes until Wednesday.
The first flights returning to Rhodes to repatriate British citizens are slated to arrive soon. EasyJet will execute two rescue flights with a capacity of 421 seats on Monday, and a third flight on Tuesday, in addition to its nine regular services to the island.
The British Foreign Office has mobilized five rapid response teams to Rhodes, alongside four Red Cross teams, to assist British citizens and cooperate with airlines in facilitating returns.
Wildfires have demolished at least three hotels in Kiotari, an area teeming with forests in eastern Rhodes. Rhodes’ deputy mayor, Athanasios Verinis, revealed that some people resorted to spending the night in cardboard boxes, signaling a scarcity of essential resources.
The Greek Fire Service has issued a warning about the potential escalation of the situation, noting that more villages may need evacuation and the firefighting efforts could extend over several days.
