Thousands evacuated as wildfires ravage Greece's Rhodes island

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - Some 2,000 tourists were evacuated from Rhodes island by sea as a wildfires in Greece continued to spread to settlements.

Holidaymakers were evacuated from two beaches in the island, the Kathimerini daily reported late Saturday, citing Fire Service spokesman Yannis Artopios.

Artopios said three coast guard vessels, an army lifeboat, special forces inflatables and 30 private sailboats assisted in the evacuation of tourists.

Early Saturday, tourists in the area of Kiotari were first gradually transferred to a nearby beach and then to safe areas on the island.

Residents in the villages of Lardos, Pylonas, Asklipios, and Kiotari were also advised to evacuate to Gennadi by the country's Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Ministry.

More than 200 firefighters, as well as fire extinguisher aircraft, are battling the blazes for the fifth day amid hot and dry weather.

Greece has been struggling to put out raging wildfires, with firefighting planes from many countries, including Türkiye, arriving to help extinguish the flames that burned houses and destroyed the environment.