As wildfires continue to ravage the picturesque Greek island of Rhodes, panic and chaos have gripped the region as thousands of British holidaymakers attempted to escape the infernos last night.
Terrifying scenes unfolded as families abandoned their belongings and raced to safety when a state of emergency was declared due to the spreading wildfires. The situation turned apocalyptic as the sky turned an ominous shade of orange, reflecting the intensity of the unfolding disaster.
One frightened mother, Becky Mulligan, was forced to sprint down a dirt track with her five-year-old daughter amidst the thick smoke. In a harrowing account, she said: “I thought I was going to die. It was like hell on earth.”
With the escalating crisis, a massive evacuation operation was launched, resulting in the safe relocation of approximately 19,000 people from Rhodes – marking it as the largest fire evacuation in Greece’s history. However, as the wildfires intensified, another Greek island, Corfu, fell victim to the blaze.
Authorities advised residents in 18 areas of Corfu to leave as the flames encroached on the island, mirroring the catastrophe that struck Rhodes just a week earlier – despite the two islands being 600 miles apart.
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