At least 19,000 people, including some 6,000 tourists, have been evacuated on the Greek island of Occurs to escape a large forest fire, which continues this Sunday out of control due to high temperatures and strong winds.
Of all the evacuees, some 3,000 tourists were transferred to safe places by sea, while the rest, 16,000 people -including another 3,000 tourists-, did so by land in a wide-ranging operation that lasted throughout the night, said the spokesman for the Fire Department, Yannis Artopiósto private television SKAI.
The fire has forced the evacuation of 11 towns in the center and east coast of the island, while the flames damaged at least three hotels in the coastal town of Kiotari and burned several houses in the town of Laerma.
Some 270 firefighters with 49 vehicles, five helicopters and 10 tanker planes are fighting the flames this Sunday for the sixth consecutive day, amid high temperatures and strong winds. Thousands of tourists had to spend the night in schools, sports halls or ferries.
Videos posted on social networks yesterday show lines of several kilometers of tourists who, suitcase in hand, headed on foot to nearby beaches to be evacuated. Some have reported a lack of organization and information on the part of the authorities and they emphasize that they had to walk several kilometers under a strong sun with small children and their belongings to reach the evacuation points.