“We are living in tragic times, Rhodes has suffered an unimaginable disaster” the South Aegean Regional Governor Giorgos Hatzimarkos told SKAI, stressing that the authorities are currently exhausting every possibility to save human lives.

According to him, there are more than 8000 displaced people from the devastating fire that is burning the island for the 5th day.

“Thousands of people, over 8,000 locals and visitors have moved from their homes and accommodations to come to safe places,” he said.

The process of transporting them is still ongoing, while, as he said, 2,500 people have already been evacuated from the fire-stricken areas by sea.

All buses of the municipal transport company RODA are already heading towards South Rhodes in order to pick up tourists and residents.

Most of the foreign visitors were transported by tourist buses of the tourist offices of the island and by buses of the municipal transport company RODA. in gymnasiums and school complexes of the island where they will spend the night, while in some cases they will spend the night in conference centers of large hotels.

Also, three ferries will be used as floating hotels. Specifically, three ships, the Blue Star Chios, the Dodecanese Express and the Panagia Skiadeni will host tourists.