Rhodes Wildfire Rages On, 30,000 Evacuated Amid High Winds
The Greek island of Rhodes is battling a ferocious wildfire that shows no sign of slowing. Nearly 30,000 people have been evacuated as the blaze burns out of control, fueled by a brutal heatwave and forecasted high winds that threaten to fan the flames even further.
Evacuations and Damage Mount
Local officials have worked around the clock, rescuing more than 2,500 people from beaches and evacuating whole villages. But fire chief Vassilis Vathrakoyiannis warns the worst may be yet to come. He says winds expected between noon and 5pm on Sunday could escalate the inferno sooner than predicted.
Overnight, the fire reached the village of Laerma, destroying homes and a church. Several hotels were caught in the blaze, and flames even licked up to the shoreline in places, leaving a trail of devastation in this popular tourist hotspot.
Tourism Season Turned Nightmare
Rhodes faces an unprecedented crisis during its peak season. Thousands of locals and tourists were evacuated from at least six villages. The Greek foreign ministry has activated its crisis unit in Athens to help get foreign nationals to safety.
Refugees from the fire took shelter in gyms, schools, and hotel conference centres. Three passenger ferries have been docked at Rhodes port to accommodate those displaced by the chaos.
“It is an unprecedented situation for the island,” said Panagiotis Dimelis, head of Archangelos village council, highlighting the urgency and community spirit amid the crisis.
Power Cuts and 200 Firefighters Battle Blaze
The crisis worsens with a major power outage. Authorities shut down the local power plant as a safety precaution, leaving much of Rhodes in darkness.
More than 200 firefighters have battled through the night with air support gearing up again at dawn on Sunday. Their mission: to wrestle this wildfire under control and safeguard lives and property from further destruction.
