In the courtyard of a private school, far from the wildfires raging on the Greek island of Rhodes, children kick a ball around while a man relaxes under the scorching sun.
While hell destroys the dream vacations of thousands of tourists, a few hundred find shelter at the Rodion school, in the northeast of the island.
“Some were less fortunate than us, they had to run to the beach to save their lives,” said Vincent, a Swiss tourist who refused to give his last name to the AFP report.
Her family of five were holidaying in the popular tourist town of Lindos when they had to evacuate in panic on Saturday as fires crept dangerously close to coastal towns in the south of the island.
The Rodion School was closed for the summer, but decided to reopen as part of an island-wide mobilization, with hundreds of people staying in gyms, lounges and other hotels until they could board the return flights.
More than 260 firefighters continued fighting the fire in Rhodes for the eighth consecutive day on Tuesday, supported by two helicopters and two aircraft.
“The school staff was immediately mobilized and dozens of volunteers showed up to help. The scale of solidarity exceeded our expectations,” says school director Kyriakos Kyriakoulis.
“People were panicked when they came here, traumatized. We tried to give them some comfort and humanity,” Kyriakoulis told AFP.
The school’s gymnasium has been converted into a dormitory, while the dance hall serves as a cafeteria.
“The human warmth, the generosity, the empathy that we found in these people… They are our guardian angels. Let’s not forget that,” said Vincent. “Without them I don’t know what we would have done,” he added.
More than 600 people found shelter at the school and 200 were still there as of Monday.
“The entire population of Rhodes has been incredibly supportive of us,” said Manolis Markopoulos, director of the Hoteliers Association of Rhodes. “Some brought their own mattresses” for people to sleep on, he said.
The teachers of the school interrupted their summer holidays to offer the children again cultural, recreational and sporting activities and help them forget the trauma of the evacuation.
“We have everything we need here, and more,” said Christine Moody, a 69-year-old British pensioner, on her first visit to Greece.
“I can’t believe they are so nice, that they care so much, and in every way. I am very touched,” she said, adding that she will remember this “forever”.
Local restaurant owners brought in free food, and computer professor Marios Hatzimihalis created a form for evacuees to find available emergency shelters. “We are doing what we can to help, each with their capabilities and resources,” Hatzimihalis said. His initiative was used by local authorities, who use the form to register tourists awaiting repatriation to their country.
Greece’s transport ministry said more than 2,100 people had returned home on emergency flights on Sunday and Monday.
In contrast to the support provided by the local population, many visitors lamented the lack of government assistance. “We didn’t see the Greek authorities. We were saved thanks to the people here,” says Vincent.
Rhodes remains at the highest fire alarm level this Tuesday.
Source: DN
