Elisabeth Hareide, who has her sister on the island, sits at home and tries to breathe calmly. The sister and her family with two children aged 8 and 11 are on a package trip to Kiotari on Rhodes. The island is characterized by a number of forest fires that rage out of control in the dry vegetation. Over 30,000 tourists have so far been evacuated, the authorities announced on Saturday evening. On Saturday afternoon, tourists and permanent residents in two villages and two holiday resorts on Rhodes received emergency text messages that the forest fires were approaching. They had to evacuate. They received the same message from the travel company TUI. SCARY: the Norwegian family of children sat in the dark for several hours while the flames approached. In the end they had to run to the sea. Photo: private Walked for hours Elisabeth Hareide says that her sister and the family packed their things. They set off on foot to the location that TUI had told them to go to, and where a bus would pick them up. – First they walked for 2.5 hours to this meeting place. There they sat and waited for several hours, without any bus coming, says Hareide. She says it was far out in a place they perceived as wasteland, completely dark, without houses or transport options, and without getting any new information. A number of questions via SMS to the travel company about what they should do were answered that they should deal with the hotel’s staff. – But the hotel employees had disappeared and the flames had reached the place where the hotel was located. The travel company didn’t seem to understand that. The sister said on the phone that while they were waiting, they could both see and hear the forest fire. – They found it scary, says Hareide. Had to run towards the sea – Finally the flames had come so close that they had to leave their luggage and run towards the sea. they got the passports with them, but other possessions had to be left behind. Down by the beach, they were fortunately picked up by a private sailboat. Elisabeth Hareide received a final SMS from her sister that they were safe on the boat, before they either lost coverage or the battery flat. – I am both relieved, and not a little cursed at the poor follow-up they have received from TUI, she says to news. The fire on Rhodes has raged for five days and the flames are constantly conquering new areas. This picture was taken on Saturday. Photo: EUROKINISSI / AFP The forest fires are raging The biggest fire on Rhodes started several days ago in mountainous areas in the middle of the island, but on Saturday spread to the coast on the east side. On Saturday evening, the flames reached three hotels that had already been evacuated, and which are now damaged by fire. NTB reports that three coastguard boats and around 30 private boats took part in the evacuation of people from the beaches at Kiotari and Lardos on Saturday. They were then to be accommodated in other hotels, schools and conference centres. TUI replies in an email to news that they do not want to comment on the matter, but say on a general basis that they are doing everything they can to take care of their customers on the island.
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A Norwegian family with children lost everything when they had to flee a forest fire on Rhodes – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
