Evacuations begin on Greece's Corfu island over wildfires

By Ayhan Mehmet

KOMOTINI, Greece (AA) – Evacuations began on Greece's Corfu island late on Sunday as firefighters tackled wildfires.

Devastating wildfires continue to sweep through the Greek islands for the sixth consecutive day, including Rhodes, a tourist hotspot.

The Greek Fire Service said that 12 residential areas were evacuated in Corfu with tourists being taken to the village of Kassiopi.

"This is a difficult situation, the fire reached the first houses in the region of Megulas," Corfu Mayor Yorgos Mahimaris told the Greek news agency AMNA.

Several countries, including Türkiye, have reached out to help Greece in extinguishing the flames that have burned houses and forests.

- Hottest day

The country recorded the hottest day on Sunday in the southern town of Gytheio with 46.4C (115.5F) since 2006, according to the daily Kathimerini, citing the National Observatory of Athens.

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* Writing by Nur Asena Erturk in Ankara