Rhodes Wildfires: Ministry Sets Up Hotline for Tourism Bodies, Travel Agents

Photo source: EU Civil Protection & Humanitarian Aid

The Greek Tourism Ministry on Sunday announced that it has set up a help desk on Rhodes to assist tourism bodies and travel agents due to the uncontrollable and extreme wildfires on the island.

The telephone numbers announced are the following: 2241044335 and 2241044330.

Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni arrived on Rhodes on Sunday and immediately attended a meeting at the headquarters of South Aegean Region to assess the situation on the island.

Kefalogianni also visited the help desk that opened at the airport to facilitate the departure of foreign visitors who have lost their travel documents.

The Greek Foreign Ministry opened a Help Desk to assist foreign visitors at Rhodes International Airport. Photo source: Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection

Sunday marks the sixth day Rhodes is battling wildfires fanned by strong winds.

An evacuation operation began on the island on Saturday and has turned into the largest one ever in Greece. A number of villages were evacuated including Kiotari, Gennadi, Pylonas, Laerma, Lardos, Lindos, Kalathos, Malona, Asklipio, Pevkos, Massair and Charaki.

According to reports, nearly 19,000 people have been evacuated preventatively, of whom 16,000 were transported by land and 3,000 by sea.

Commission: Greece is handling this difficult situation with professionalism

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed the EU’s express full support for Greece.

“Greece is handling this difficult situation with professionalism, putting emphasis on safely evacuating thousands of tourists, and can always count on European solidarity,” she tweeted.

I called @KMitsotakis to express our full support for Greece, which is confronted with devastating forest fires and a heavy heat wave due to climate change.

Greece is handling this difficult situation with professionalism, putting emphasis on safely evacuating thousands of… https://t.co/WhQ3udTlX6

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) July 23, 2023

The EU is supporting Greece face wildfires throughout the country via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.

According to European Commissioner for Crisis Management, in charge of European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid, Janez Lenarčič, over 450 firefighters and 7 airplanes from the EU have been sent to assist Greece. Out of those, 81 firefighters, 26 vehicles and 3 planes are helping local teams fight the extreme wildfires on Rhodes.