Over 1,500 evacuated from hotels, beaches as wildfire rages on popular Greek island

Firefighters say this blaze — which broke out on a mountain in the centre of the island — is the most difficult they have ever faced

Published: Sat 22 Jul 2023, 9:06 PM

Tourists are evacuated by boat from a beach in the village of Kiotari on the Greek island of Rhodes during a wildfire on July 22. —AFP

Deputy Fire Chief Yannis Artapoios said the blaze on Rhodes, which broke out on a mountain in the centre of the island, was the most difficult the Fire Department forces there has faced.

More than 1,500 people were ferried to safety from beaches on the Greek island of Rhodes on Saturday, where a wildfire has been raging out of control for five days.

Three coastguard boats were leading more than 20 private vessels in the emergency evacuation, while a Greek navy boat was heading to the area.

According to the Greek coastguard, people were being picked up from Kiotari and Lardos beaches on the east of the Mediterranean island popular with tourists.

This photograph taken on July 22, 2023 shows pine trees burning in a wildfire on the Greek island of Rhodes. — AFP

The coastguard said over 1,500 people have already been evacuated to a safe beach.

According to ERT TV, some firefighters were stranded in the Ypseni Monastery near Lardos after attempting to convince the nuns living there to leave the area.

The firefighters, along with their commander, were said to be safe.

Deputy Fire Chief Yannis Artapoios said the blaze on Rhodes, which broke out on a mountain in the centre of the island, was the most difficult the Fire Department forces there has faced.

Five helicopters and 173 firefighters were operating in the area.

Three hotels in the Kiotari area have been damaged by the fire, and 30 buses were used to evacuate tourists from two hotels as a precaution.

The battle to extinguish the fire in Rhodes continues in the area of Laermon and Lardos, where it is raging out of control.

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