Wildfires and Strong Winds Disrupt Tourism in Greece
Three individuals, including two Vietnamese tourists, lost their lives in Greece on Friday due to a combination of fierce winds, wildfires, and the challenges they posed to ferry travel. The situation has significantly impacted thousands of summer holidaymakers who are navigating through the chaos caused by these natural disasters.
Firefighters across the country are working tirelessly to combat the blazes, with over 200 personnel supported by 11 water bombers and seven helicopters. The fire in Keratea, located southeast of Athens, is particularly challenging, as reported by Costas Tsigkas, head of the association of Greek firefighter officers. He emphasized that strong wind gusts are making it difficult for the firefighting efforts to be effective. Several communities have been evacuated, and the wind has also hindered the operations of water bombers.
In Keratea, firefighters discovered the body of an elderly individual inside a burned home. Vassilis Vathrakogiannis, a fire service spokesman, mentioned that the wind was complicating the efforts of the water bombers. An AFP journalist in Palaia Fokaia, approximately 45 kilometers south of Athens, witnessed the fire consuming a house and thick smoke choking the air. Firefighters were seen rushing to direct hoses and douse the flames, while a helicopter swooped overhead to drop water.
Earlier, a separate blaze on the island of Cephalonia was brought under control, according to local officials. Additionally, the situation on the Peloponnese peninsula west of Athens has improved, as announced by Vathrakogiannis. However, the civil protection ministry warned that wind gusts could reach up to 88 kilometers per hour, especially in the southern Aegean and the Sea of Crete. While the national weather service EMY indicated that the gusts would weaken after midnight, the civil protection ministry placed several areas under the highest alert for wildfires on Saturday, including the Attica region, which encompasses Athens.
The coastguard reported that a Vietnamese man and woman from a cruise ship group died at Sarakiniko beach on the tourist island of Milos in the Cyclades. According to a coastguard spokeswoman, the man and woman were found unconscious in the sea and were taken to the local health center. It was reported that the woman fell into the water, and the man attempted to save her.
Impact on Ferries and Travelers
The strong winds have confined many ferries to port, disrupting the main mode of transport that connects thousands of islands and their crucial tourism sector. The coastguard stated that most ferries were unable to depart on schedule from Piraeus and other Athens ports, particularly to the Cyclades or Dodecanese islands. Several services were canceled, and others were postponed.
At Piraeus, hundreds of travelers crowded outside a ferry bound for the Cycladic islands of Paros and Naxos, waiting for news on a possible departure. Stranded travelers surrounded by rucksacks and suitcases formed a large queue outside a ticket office, making desperate phone calls to rearrange their journeys. Philip Elias, an American tourist, described the situation as chaotic, stating, "There's huge lines, huge commotion, everyone's waiting in the sun and it's a very tough time."
Maritime connections with the Saronic islands near Athens, including Aegina, Hydra, Poros, and Spetses, as well as the Ionian Sea, remained unaffected, according to the coastguard. However, the strong winds have become a common occurrence in Greece during this time of year, and firefighters have already faced several major blazes this summer, including on the islands of Evia and Chios, as well as in the western Peloponnese.