24 July 2023 , 07:28
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As Brits rush to escape the fire-ravaged island of Rhodes, emergency services fear more blazes could hit other Greek islands - including Crete.
Corfu was the second holiday hotspot to be hit by horrific wildfires at the weekend, but the fire service fear even more islands could be in the firing line.
The Corfu blaze prompted warnings to Brits staying at certain hotels not to travel. Locals in some areas battled the blaze themselves on Corfu as sea evacuations were carried out.
Around 59 people were evacuated from Nissaki beach on the northwest coast, the Greek Coast Guard said. The evacuation involved six coast guard vessels and nine private vessels.
A firefighter tries to put out a wildfire in Asklipio village on Rhodes island (Aristidis Vafeiadakis/ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock)Now the Greek government has identified further areas at "extreme fire risk", whice are:
New superyacht virtually invisible with mirrored glass to reflect sky and clouds
• Region of Attica (which covers Athens and the surrounding area)
• Region of Central Greece
• Peloponnese region
• Region of Western Greece
• South Aegean Region (which includes Rhodes)
Smoke billows above Princess Andriana Resort and Spa, where Brits were staying, after fires on Rhodes on Saturday (MEN Media)It comes as repatriation flights arrive today to get hundreds of Britons out of Rhodes. The Brits have been waiting to go home after being caught up in one of the largest evacuations in Greek history.
And it is feared their nightmare will go on as another heatwave arrives. As they wait for planes to rescue them after being evacuated from stricken resorts, temperatures are expected to reach a sweltering 45C on the Greek island.
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Strong winds fuelled the wildfires overnight creating flashpoints on three sides and forcing the evacuation of further villages. Locals claim many fires were set alight on purpose and some were said to be guarding untouched villages to stop it happening again.
The Foreign Office’s emergency deployment team and the Red Cross are now on the Greek Island at Rhodes airport trying to help the desperate tourists. Many ran from the advancing blaze, leaving passports behind.
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A small passenger boat used to help evacuate people from a beach (Intime News/Athena Pictures)Frantic British tourists told how they had to wade into the sea to flee the flames leaving all their possessions behind. Others, many with children, were forced to escape in just their swimming costumes and beachwear - forced to walk miles in scorching heat after being evacuated from popular resorts.
Running away from scenes described as “apocalyptic”, children slept on cardboard boxes to protect them from the burning concrete, in baseball courts and at the airport.
About 19,000 people - including at least 5,000 Brits - have so far been evacuated as authorities launched the biggest rescue mission in Greece's history. And with temperatures of 45C forecast with high winds, tourists were warned the situation will get worse. Last night parts of the Greek island of Corfu were also evacuated as wildfires edged nearer resorts.