Watch: Aerial shots of devastation from wildfires on Greek island of Rhodes
Thousands have fled Rhodes and Corfu as wildfires ravage Greece, while the Sicilian capital’s airport has been forced to close due to a blaze.
Some 20,000 people had to leave homes and hotels in Rhodes over the weekend as the inferno that began a week ago spread, while over 2,000 holidaymakers returned home by plane on Monday, and more repatriation flights were expected on Tuesday.
After the blaze in Rhodes prompted “the biggest evacuation” in Greek history, Crete is at “extreme risk” of raging wildfires, while around 2,500 people have already been evacuated from Corfu, which has been enduring dozens of blazes.
Wildfires also forced the closure of Palermo airport in Sicily on Tuesday as extreme weather including severe storms continued to batter Italy.
The airport in the Sicilian capital would remain shut until 9am (GMT), its operator said on Twitter, as firefighters were working to put out a major blaze in a nearby area that also disrupted local road and rail traffic.
Two women were killed on Monday and Tuesday in the northern Monza and Brescia provinces after being crushed by falling trees.
