The situation on the island of Rhodes is dramatic, with the fire burning uncontrollably in three fiery fronts for the fifth night in a row.

Shortly after 22:00 a message was sent from 112 to the residents of the Kiotari and Gennadi areas to move to the Plimmyri area of ​​Rhodes and further south on the island as the flames have reached Laerma and Kiotari causing damage to houses and hotels.

Both in Gennadi and in Kiotari there are several hotel units with tourists leaving immediately both by land and by sea. Tourists headed to the beaches to get away safely.

By order of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry’s Crisis Management Unit was activated to facilitate the evacuation of foreign citizens in Greece due to the ongoing forest fires, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The three fronts

As the press representative of the Fire Department, Giannis Artopioos, said while speaking to SKAI, there are three active fronts that worry the fire department:

-Northeast of the artificial dam of Lake Gadoura
-500 meters from Laerma to Lardo, a new front was created that joins the old one
– And the most active that is in the Asklepiion of Rhodes

Continuous transport of tourists

The transport of tourists on their holidays in Rhodes to safe places continues both by floating vessels of the coast guard located on the island and by private individuals.
About 2,500 people have been freed so far. Specifically, the tourists were transported by buses of the island’s tourist offices and by buses of the municipal transport company RODA to gymnasiums and school complexes on the island where they will spend the night, while in some cases they will also spend the night in conference centers of large hotels while three ferry boats are on the island. These are Panagia Skiadani (600 people), Dodekanisos Express (347 people) and Blue Star Chios (300 people). Total 1247 people.

Specifically, in consultation with the Hotel Chamber of Rhodes, the following hotel conference rooms have been allocated for the accommodation and food of citizens who were evacuated earlier as a precaution from their hotels. A total of 3,190 people can be accommodated there:

SHERATION RHODES RESORT—– 250
VERGINA—-400
AMATHUS—-70
RHODES PALACE—-1500
MEDITERRANEAN—-150
PARADISE RESORT- ELA RESORT—-300
OLYMPIC PALACE—–300
KRESTEN PALACE—150
EDEN ROC —70

70 tourist buses have also been secured through the Panhellenic Federation of Tourism Enterprises to transport tourists wherever needed.

Earlier, tourists left their hotels in droves to be picked up by port boats and private boats

Ground forces in battle

After sunset the aerial vehicles stopped flying and the ground forces were thrown into the battle. At the moment in Rhodes, 205 firefighters are operating with 13 groups of walking departments, 39 vehicles, the Slovak firefighters are also participating with 31 personnel and 5 vehicles.

At the same time, another 10 water tankers will arrive on the island tomorrow, while in the afternoon a C130 took off with 8 DIAS two-wheelers, while in the evening another 4 vehicles with OPKE forces, and another 8 DIAS two-wheelers will be sent.

Today operating on the fire fronts were 3 Air Tractors, 1 Mi8 helicopter, 2 Erickson, 4 CL-415, 2 Chinook, 1 AB214 and a Super Puma coordinator.

On the island a government echelon

A government echelon is moving to the island with the Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister and Director of the Prime Minister’s Office Yannis Bratakos, the Deputy Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, responsible for State Aid Christos Triantopoulos and the Deputy Minister of Tourism Elena Rapti.

The Deputy Minister of Shipping and Island Policy Yiannis Pappas is already on the island.