Greece evacuates thousands of tourists in Rhodes as wildfire burns
A large wildfire tearing through the Greek island of Rhodes has forced thousands of tourists to evacuate their hotels, officials say, CNN reports.
The wildfire in the central and south part of Rhodes has been burning since Tuesday. It is the largest of a number of blazes in Greece, which is sweltering due to a heat wave that experts say is likely to become the country’s longest on record.
An estimated 10,000 tourists were safely taken to the northern part of the island on Saturday, according to the Rhodes Hotel Association.
The association said on Greek TV that tourists from 12 hotels were transported by buses, on foot and by sea.
The coastguard told CNN on Saturday that four of its boats had assisted, as well as 20 private vessels.
