Athens [Greece], July 24 : The largest evacuation effort launched in Greece's history, according to officials, was when a massive wildfire ravaging the Greek island of Rhodes forced hundreds of tourists to leave their hotels on Sunday, CNN reported.
Those who were caught up in the flames described chaotic and terrifying scenes, with others forced to evacuate on foot or by other means after being ordered to do so.
Since Tuesday, a wildfire has been blazing in the centre and southern regions of Rhodes, a very well-liked island among tourists.
It is the biggest of several fires that have broken out in Greece, which is burning as a result of a heat wave that experts predict will end up being the nation's longest on record, according to CNN.
The operation, which the government referred to as "the largest such effort Greece has ever seen," involved the transportation of 16,000 people—tourists and locals—by land and 3,000 by sea.
The middle and southern regions of the island are where firefighters are presently concentrating their efforts on three active fronts, CNN quoted the local fire department as saying.
Nearby Kiotari and Lardos, not far from the Lindos archaeological site, is where the fire is currently raging. So far, there hasn't been a threat to the site. Notably, Lindos is an archaeological site, a fishing village and a former municipality on the island of Rhodes, in the Dodecanese, Greece.
In order to accommodate evacuees in need, hotels, schools, sports facilities, and conference centres have been set up in secure areas of the island.
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