The ongoing fires in Greece complicate the lives of the people and the holidays of tourists. Following the massive fires in Rhodes this weekend, fires also broke out on the islands of Evia and Corfu, two other destinations for travelers from around the world. Firefighters in Greece were already struggling to contain 82 fires across the country on Sunday, starting on Sunday, the hottest day of summer ever. The fires in Rhodes have already forced 19,000 people to flee.
ruined islands
On Evia, Greece’s second largest island, authorities told residents of four southern villages to head to the town of Karystos, west of where the fire started to spread. Other fires broke out near the town of Aigio, in the northeastern part of the island of Corfu, which is mostly frequented by British tourists, and in the northern Peloponnese. In these cases, evacuation was requested. The traffic also stopped on the old Athens-Patras state road passing through the coast. Northern Evia was also devastated by fires in August 2021. Fires broke out in Corfu just before midnight on Sunday. Authorities called for more evacuations, saying the fire was “moving southeast on a broad front.” They added that private ships are ready to receive the displaced. Fire damage in Greece affects not only tourism and the environment, but also the archaeological heritage of the Hellenic peninsula. Firefighters said they had contained a fire to the west of Epidaurus, an important archaeological site, including a famous ancient theater.
Damage to Rhodes
According to the police, more than 16,000 people were evacuated by land and more than 3,000 by sea from 12 villages and several hotels in Rhodes. Six people were briefly treated in a hospital for respiratory problems. A person who fell and broke his leg while evacuating a hotel and a pregnant woman in good condition were hospitalized. The Ministry of Climate Change and Civil Protection said the emergency in Rhodes had triggered “the largest fire evacuation in the country”. Greek firefighters warned that the situation could worsen as more villages have to be evacuated and the fight to contain the flames could take several days. On Sunday, 260 firefighters, supported by 18 aircraft, responded to the fire. Package tour companies TUI and Jet2 canceled their Rhodes flights. The Greek Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport later announced that 14 flights will be made. All flights And jet2 Carrying 2,700 passengers, it would have departed from Rhodes airport at 3:00 am local time on Monday. The ministry said 70,000 passengers passed through the island’s airport in the early hours of Saturday and Sunday, with some arriving.
evacuation problems
According to local witnesses questioned by the Associated Press agency, buses were mostly used for transfers, but they were unable to contain the mass of people who needed to get away from the fires. 90% of the evacuated tourists will come from European countries. Some tourists said they walked for miles to save themselves in the scorching heat, the BBC reported. Dead animals were seen next to burned cars on the road. Problems continued at the airport as many people hurriedly fled without taking their documents with them. The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs said staff has set up a help desk at Rhodes International Airport for visitors who have lost their travel documents.
European support
The European Union sent reinforcements to help the Greek authorities fight the fires. “More than 450 firefighters and seven EU aircraft are operating in Greece, as fires continue across the country,” European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic told the media on Sunday afternoon. The seriousness of the situation also led to the intervention of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who made a statement on Sunday evening: “I called. [il primo ministro greco Kyriakos Mitsotakis] To express our full support for Greece, which is facing devastating bushfires and severe heatwaves due to climate change. “Greece is handling this difficult situation professionally, attaches importance to the safe evacuation of thousands of tourists and can always count on European solidarity,” he said.
deadly temperatures
On Sunday, July 23, 40 degrees Celsius was exceeded at 180 points in total on the Greek peninsula. The highest temperature of 46.4°C was reached in the coastal town of Gytheio in southern Greece. On Monday, July 24, temperatures should “fall” with expected highs of 38°C, but even higher temperatures are expected on Tuesday. The country’s meteorological service has announced that it should be significantly cooler with temperatures around 30 degrees from Thursday.
We are in a #ClimateCrisis whether you like it or not….#wildfire evacuation Rhodes
— Ian Hall (@IanHall_CU) July 22, 2023
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Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.