Greece, fires also in Corfu and Evia: evacuated villages and fear of tourists

After Rhodes, they also burn Evia and Cortù, a destination much sought after by Italian tourists given their proximity to our coasts. Firefighters in Greece are struggling to contain 82 fires across the country, 64 of which started yesterday, the hottest day of the summer so far. In addition to the huge fires on the island of Rhodes, which forced the flight of 19,000 people, fires also broke out on the islands of Evia and Corfu, where 17 villages were evacuated and the Coast Guard rescued 59 people who were on Nisaki beach. In Evia, authorities told residents of four southern villages to evacuate to the town of Karystos, west of where the fire was raging.

Central Greece Deputy Governor Giorgos Kelaiditis, who was near one of the villages, told state news agency Ana-Mpa that the situation was difficult. “The fire may be 2 km away, but the wind is strong, the smoke is thick and the air is difficult to breathe,” he said. Other fires occurred in the northern region of Peloponnese, near the town of Aigio. Traffic on the old Athens-Patras state road, which crosses the coast, was stopped. Just before midnight yesterday, authorities called for further evacuations from Corfu and the northern Peloponnese. In the case of Corfu, they said the fire was “moving south-eastwards on a broad front” and added that private ships were on standby to rescue the displaced. A fire broke out west of the Epidaurus archaeological site, firefighters said. The Ministry of Climate Change and Civil Protection said the emergency in Rhodes had triggered “the largest fire evacuation in the country”.

It was “arsonous arson”, said Corfu Mayor Giorgos Mahimaris, speaking of the flames that broke out on Mount Pantokratoras. Residents and tourists who had been evacuated for security reasons were taken to the Agios Markos stadium and the Municipal Theater of Corfu, the mayor told state news agency Apa-Mpa. Two helicopters and two fire planes were working to put out the fire, Mahimaris added.

Source: IL Tempo

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