Nearly 2,500 people evacuated from Corfu

Monday, July 24, 2023

Corfu has joined the list of Greek islands that have issued evacuation orders as the terrific wildfire rage across Greece. A fire broke out in the northern area of Corfu, adding to the current catastrophe. This comes after nearly 19,000 people were evacuated from Rhodes, another Greek island badly damaged by flames.

Greece has been dealing with scorching temperatures reaching 40°C (104°F) across the nation, resulting in flames raging in certain parts for over a week. The situation has deteriorated to the point that the planned national holiday on Monday has been cancelled owing to the extreme heatwave conditions generated by the flames.

The Greek Emergency Communications Service issued evacuation orders for many Corfu communities late on Sunday, including Santa, Megoula, Porta, Palia, Perithia, and Sinies. Residents in these areas have been evacuated by sea using boats. The tour operators are also engaging in evacuation of the tourists also.

Since Tuesday, Rhodes, located around 1,027 kilometres (670 miles) from Corfu, has been battling flames driven by high winds. Thousands of people have been evacuated off the island, with some seeking safety at Rhodes airport in the hopes of catching flights out of the disaster zone.

As the wildfires grow, Greece’s fire department has warned that additional communities may need to be evacuated, and that the struggle to put out the flames might last several days. Climate change has been linked to an increase in the likelihood of such extreme weather conditions, and nations all over the world are dealing with the repercussions of rising temperatures and wildfires.

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