2023-07-23 13:25:55
The German tour operator TUI has decided to cancel this Sunday and until Tuesday all its departures to Rhodes, the Greek island in the grip of a violent forest fire for six days. A decision also taken by the British low-cost airline Jet2.
“Until Tuesday, no more new tourists will be airlifted” to this island by the German group, said one of its spokespersons, Linda Jonczyk. She specified that empty flights were however maintained in order to then be able to evacuate the thousands of tourists still on the island and who are affected by the fires. The tour operator currently has “42,000 tourists” on the island of Rhodes, “of which 7,800 are affected by the fires and had to be evacuated to reception centers or hotels”, she specified.
“The situation in the south of Rhodes remains particularly difficult today and we do not yet see any improvement in conditions in the region. All travelers who were quickly evacuated yesterday are being contacted personally by TUI so that we can assess their situation and find the most suitable solution, ”explains the travel agency in a press release, quoted by The Free Belgium.
In the United Kingdom, the company Jet2 has also indicated that it has canceled “all flights and holiday stays” scheduled for Sunday to Rhodes, but it plans to transport the five planes concerned there empty to repatriate its customers still there.
“The largest evacuation operation ever carried out”
Some 30,000 people had to leave their homes or hotels on Saturday due to the fire in the east of the island, while the tourist season is in full swing. They were sheltered in gymnasiums, schools or conference centers for the night. In total, twelve localities were evacuated, including Lindos, one of the main tourist attractions with its Acropolis perched on top of a hill.
VIDEO. Greece: thousands of tourists flee Rhodes, plagued by fires
Rescuers carried out on the tourist island on Saturday and overnight “the largest evacuation operation ever carried out in Greece”, said police spokeswoman Konstantia Dimoglidou. During the night, the flames reached the village of Laerma, burning houses and a church, according to Greek media. Many hotels were also affected and the fire spread to the coastal villages of Kiotari and Gennadi Lardos.
Panagiotis Dimelis, a local elected official from the village of Archangelos, described on Skai TV “an unprecedented situation”. Several days are still needed to contain the fire, according to the authorities, especially since the wind, which is fanning it, “should strengthen between midday and 5 p.m.”, warned the firefighters.
Temperatures exceeding 44 ° C are expected this Sunday in Greece, which, according to the national meteorological observatory, is going through “probably” the longest heat wave in its history. Since the beginning of summer, the heat has overwhelmed tens of millions of people around the world. July could turn out to be the hottest month on record on Earth, according to predictions from experts who point to the impact of global warming.
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