ATHENS: The wildfires on the picturesque Greek island of Rhodes have prompted the evacuation of nearly 19,000 residents and tourists for the sixth consecutive day, according to Greek authorities.

The Ministry of Climate Change and Civil Protection has reported that this is the largest wildfire evacuation in the country's history.

In response to the crisis, the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs is dispatching personnel to the Rhodes International Airport, where a help desk will be set up to assist those who have lost their travel documents, as reported by the Associated Press.

Local police have stated that 16,000 individuals were evacuated by land, with an additional 3,000 people rescued by sea from 12 villages and several hotels. During the evacuation process, six people received brief treatment at a hospital for respiratory issues.

There were unfortunate incidents during the evacuation, such as a person who fell and broke their leg and a pregnant woman who required hospitalization. Fortunately, the latter is in good condition, according to authorities.

Fire Brigade spokesman Yannis Artopios informed the Associated Press that, as of early Sunday afternoon, there are 266 firefighters and 49 engines on the ground, supported by hundreds of volunteers.

In the ongoing efforts to combat the wildfires, ten firefighting planes, including two from France, two from Turkey, and one from Croatia, are actively operating in the affected area, in addition to eight helicopters.

As a show of support, the British government is sending a rapid deployment team to assist British nationals on Rhodes, said the British ambassador to Greece, Matthew Lodge.

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