Flame engulfing Crete
Due to a blaze in the area surrounding the famous vacation spot of Platanias in western Crete, numerous tourists had to be moved from their hotel facilities. As per the fire department's announcement, firefighting helicopters and professional teams are actively working to extinguish the flames and regain control.
According to the local radio station of Greek broadcaster ERT-Chania, mainly dry vegetation was in flames, but the smoke was quite intense. The hotel evacuations were ordered as a preventative measure, the station reported, additionally providing visuals and photos of tourists leaving their hotels for safety. The website zarpanews.gr also features these videos.
The origin of the fire was unclear at first. The civil protection agency cautions that Greece's fire danger - despite some substantial rainfall - will persist until the end of October.
Visitors staying at other hotels in the vicinity were advised to stay indoors due to the smoke spread. To help combat the situation, several neighboring towns have offered temporary shelter to these displaced tourists.
