ATHENS, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Greek authorities declared a state of emergency in Agios Vasileios municipality in Rethymno, a regional unit on the southern Greek island of Crete, and evacuated about 8,000 residents and tourists as a major wildfire continued to rage on Crete on Thursday.
The wildfire in Rethymno, located in southern Crete, Greece's largest island in the eastern Mediterranean, has become the country's most critical active blaze in recent days, with a fire front stretching for more than 15 km, according to Greek national broadcaster ERT.
A new fire front broke out near Asomatos village in Rethymno and moved toward Preveli, a coastal area in southern Crete known for its beach and tourist attractions, while firefighters continued efforts to contain the blaze in Agios Vasileios.
Strong winds, with gusts reaching up to 125 km per hour, and near-zero visibility severely hampered firefighting operations. Water-dropping aircraft and helicopters were unable to conduct aerial firefighting missions due to the extreme weather conditions.
Greek authorities issued repeated emergency alerts urging residents and visitors in threatened areas to evacuate. Around 700 evacuees spent the night in an indoor sports hall, while many others stayed with relatives or friends. Tourists were transferred to hotels in unaffected areas.
A maritime evacuation operation rescued 51 people from the Preveli coastal area under difficult weather conditions. The evacuees were safely transported by a Hellenic Coast Guard patrol vessel, assisted by two private boats, to Agia Galini, a seaside town in southern Crete.
More than 190 firefighters, supported by fire engines, specialized forest firefighting teams, local authorities and volunteers, were deployed across multiple fire fronts. However, strong winds continued to complicate containment efforts.
The wildfire has damaged farmland, cultivated fields, grazing areas, homes and livestock. Investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing, while Crete remains under a very high wildfire risk warning as strong winds are expected to persist. ■