Firefighting continues in Greece and a slight drop in temperatures

The fight against wildfires in Greece, especially on the popular tourist island of Rhodes, continued on Monday, a day that saw a "slight drop" in temperatures before an expected heatwave on Tuesday, according to the National Meteorological Service.

Over 266 firefighters are working to extinguish the fires in the south and west of Rhodes, situated in the Aegean Sea, where approximately 30,000 tourists were evacuated in what was described as "the largest operation of its kind ever witnessed in Greece" amid the arrival of a new heatwave.

Hundreds of tourists, particularly British, German, and French nationals, waited at Rhodes International Airport on Sunday evening in search of return flights, while several airlines suspended their flights to the island.

Last weekend, four other wildfires broke out on the island of Corfu in the Ionian Sea (northwest), also frequented by a large number of tourists. The firefighting management stated that "62 firefighters, supported by two water-dropping helicopters," were working there on Monday.

Rhodes, with a population of over 100,000, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Greece, attracting visitors mainly from Britain, Germany, and France.

Other wildfires also broke out on Monday in Aigio in northern Peloponnese and in Karystos in the southern part of the island of Euboea, as well as in Boeotia, a region in northern Athens.

Several regions in the country remained "on red alert" on Monday, indicating "severe danger" of wildfires, according to the authorities. However, a spokesperson for the firefighting office told Agence France-Presse that "no city was threatened by the fires" from Sunday night to Monday morning.

More than 2,500 people were evacuated as a precautionary measure overnight from Corfu in Greece, where a wildfire was burning in the north of this tourist island, as confirmed by a spokesperson for the firefighting team.

Janis Artopiou stated that the wildfires in the north of the island led to "the precautionary evacuation of 2,466 people" on Sunday night, emphasizing that there have been no reported damages to homes or hotels so far.

Authorities sent mobile phone messages warning residents and tourists in several small towns in the north to evacuate their homes as a precautionary measure.

As in every summer, Greece witnesses forest fires, often resulting in casualties and consuming tens of thousands of hectares of forests and green spaces.

This summer has seen the country's longest heatwave recorded in recent years, with temperatures reaching 45 degrees Celsius in the central region over the weekend, according to experts from the National Meteorological Service.

Temperatures are expected to experience a "slight drop" on Monday, with a potential high of 37 degrees Celsius in Athens, while reaching 42 degrees in the central region and the Peloponnese area. Strong winds of up to 50 kilometers per hour are also expected in the Aegean Sea, according to the meteorological service.

On Tuesday, temperatures are expected to rise up to 44 degrees Celsius, according to the National Meteorological Service.

Since the beginning of summer, tens of millions of people around the world have been affected by soaring temperatures. The current July has been considered the hottest month on Earth, according to experts, due to climate warming.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AFP