“Have you ever seen Squid Game? That’s exactly what it felt like.” These were the words of a British tourist, one of the last remaining 700 holidaymakers who found refuge in an evacuation center in Rhodes after escaping the devastating wildfires. The chaos and panic experienced by many as their dream vacations went up in smoke were perfectly summed up by Susan Johnson, a 64-year-old traveler from Salisbury.
Susan had arrived in Rhodes on Saturday night, looking forward to a luxurious stay in a five-star hotel. However, upon landing, she was instead transported to Venetokleio sports hall, where she spent the following four days. Exhausted, frustrated, and in pain, she expressed her sleepless nights and growing discontent. “You don’t sleep properly,” she lamented on Tuesday morning.
While most other evacuees managed to find alternative accommodations, often without any expectation of reimbursement from their tour operators, some opted for early flights home or boarded pre-booked departure flights. Meanwhile, a few brave vacationers cautiously returned to the evacuated resort towns of Gennadi and Pefkos. They dined at tavernas and enjoyed the beach amidst scorched earth and ash-covered surroundings. Many buildings remained intact, but some were visibly damaged.
Further inland, firefighters continued to battle new blazes spreading across the mountainside, fueled by strong winds. Propeller planes filled the sky, dumping seawater on billowing plumes of smoke.
Johnson harbored anger towards Tui, her tour operator, for continuing to fly visitors in on the evening the wildfires raged. She felt that their response since then had been “absolute rubbish.” As a consequence, Tui canceled all flights to Rhodes until Friday. When offered a flight back to Manchester, Johnson found the arrival time of 2 am impractical and objected to Tui’s suggestion that she pay for a taxi to Wiltshire, which would cost a significant amount of money she didn’t have.
Also lodged in the evacuation center were Abby Masters-Bourne, Francesca Sambrooke, and Eleanor Campbell, all 19-year-olds from Bournemouth. They spent three anxiety-filled nights there after receiving phone alerts instructing them to evacuate. Their concern grew as they witnessed a massive cloud of smoke building throughout the day, eventually realizing how close they were to the flames flickering in the distance. Despite reassurances from reception, they knew the situation was becoming serious. They spent the night on the floor of a school hall before being relocated to the sports center, where a generous local family provided them with a mattress.
These young women were deeply moved by the kindness of the volunteers who tirelessly assisted them. Masters-Bourne expressed her amazement at the offers of any meal they could think of as volunteers walked through the door. They were even invited into a local home where they watched the townspeople witness their beloved town burning on the television screen. This stark contrast struck them profoundly. “We are going to our home, and they are losing theirs. I cannot fathom how nice everyone is,” Masters-Bourne shared.
One of the admirable volunteers was Theodora Hatziioannou, originally from Rhodes but on vacation from New York. She diligently recorded names and offered aid in terms of accommodation and transportation for stranded tourists. Expressing disappointment, Hatziioannou revealed that many visitors received no response from their travel agencies when seeking help. The volunteers stepped in to fill the gap and assist in any way possible. Stories echoed of people being misinformed by hotels located perilously close to the fire, suggesting they stay put while the police simultaneously ordered evacuations. Travel agencies failed to show up and reimburse affected individuals. Hatziioannou shared the heartbreaking sight of people in tears.
Hatziioannou mentioned that most local residents affected by the fires had been evacuated, with some staying with friends and relatives elsewhere on the island. However, she acknowledged that there were also residents seeking refuge in evacuation centers. She expressed the local population’s sense of abandonment by their government, both in terms of support efforts, which were predominantly driven by community and volunteer initiatives, and the slow response of firefighters to contain the blaze.
Local residents who spoke with The Guardian voiced their frustration. Dimitris Angelika, surveying the ruins of his restaurant, Angelika Taverna, revealed that his house also burned down, leaving him and his mother homeless. Repairing the restaurant, which had undergone extensive renovations during the winter, was estimated to cost £300,000. However, he anticipated receiving only £10,000 in government aid. Nevertheless, some compassionate tourists initiated a crowdfunding campaign to assist him.
Angelika believed that the spread of the fire was partially due to budget cuts made to the fire services. He criticized the local and Greek government for their lack of experience and reluctance to allocate sufficient funds for firefighting resources. “Before, we had two fire trucks per village, but now there are not so many,” Angelika lamented.
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