Brits overseas flip into ‘DIY firefighters’ to deal with Rhodes wildfires
D
ozens of British vacationers holidaying in Rhodes have joined forces with locals to deal with the lethal blazes engulfing the island.
Heroic Londoners helped create makeshift fireplace vehicles by attaching water hoses to 4x4s as others have manned help tents for the island’s displaced residents.
The deadly blazes, fanned by rising temperatures and powerful winds, have killed 5 individuals, destroyed properties, farms and factories and scorched swathes of forest land since July 17.
Wildfires on the Greek island of Rhodes
/ PA MediaAs most Brits fled, some donned Covid masks and used backyard spades, pickaxes, knives from residence, chainsaws and water bottles to wade in and assist hero fireplace deal with the fires.
Catherine O’Dea advised The Times: “This isn’t quite what I expected to do on my holiday”. The market dealer from south London added: “This is day four for us — I’ve been manning the hoses.”
Mary Caristofakaki, 29, moved away from Rhodes however got here again to battle the fires in her hometown of Vati. “It’s ‘do it yourself’ firefighting,” she advised the paper.
In the hard-hit space of Magnesia, wildfires reached an air power ammunition depot near the coastal city of Nea Aghialos on Thursday. The blaze on the depot prompted highly effective explosions and the coast guard stated individuals had been pressured to flee by land and sea to Volos, the regional capital.
A firefighter tries to extinguish a wildfire burning on the industrial zone of the town of Volos
/ REUTERSFighter jets stationed at a close-by navy airport had been moved as a precaution, a authorities official stated.
The shockwave was felt miles away, inflicting glass home windows of a number of retailers to shatter.
It got here as different vacationers are struggling to get refunds for holidays with one girl describing her scenario as an “absolute nightmare”.
Anita Madhas, 49, was scheduled to journey to Rhodes in early August together with her 72-year-old mom in a gaggle of round 20 family and friends, however they not want to go to the island after their lodge, the Lindos Imperial, was partially broken by fireplace.
Ms Madhas paid simply over £1,000 for return flights for herself and her mom for August 3 to 13, which haven’t been cancelled.
She stated: “That flight is scheduled to go out to Rhodes and I won’t get a refund. I only get a refund if that flight is cancelled.
“It’s just an absolute nightmare at the moment. I’m trying to get everybody to get some kind of transfer or refund, so that we can all rebook and go somewhere else.”