Before and after satellite photos show the shocking effects of the Rhodes wildfires as green rolling fields and mountains have been reduced to charred scorched earth.
The Greek island has been ripped apart by a week of terrifying blazes, forcing thousands of holidaymakers to evacuate to safety.
On Sunday afternoon, as the first Brits started to arrive back at Gatwick Airport, Greek authorities issued further warnings to tourists to flee large parts of Corfu as another holiday hotspot became engulfed in flames.
There are stark contrasts between the satellite images taken of Rhodes from January 2, 2022, and July 23, 2023.
A raging inferno has spread across the green hills and trees, leaving a trail of destruction and sparking Greece’s largest disaster evacuation in history.
For a week, firefighters have tackled blazes that erupted in peak tourism season, causing tourists to panic – and leaving flights and holidays cancelled.
Hundreds of holidaymakers milled inside Rhodes International Airport, some trying to sleep on their beach towels as they waited for flights off the island.
Brits stuck in Rhodes have described the scenes at the airport as ‘absolute pandemonium’ as they try to escape the wildfires.
Stranded families have told MailOnline how they were left ‘fighting for our lives’ to try and get onto boats as desperate tourists shoved children out of the way to to force themselves on board.
Tourists who have made it home from Rhodes warmly embraced those waiting for them at Gatwick Airport after successfully fleeing the terrifying infernos on the Greek island.
In Corfu, those in Santa, Megoula, Porta, Palia Perithia and Sinies have been told to evacuate to Kasiopi amid the devastating fires.
Holidaymakers in Rou, Katavolo, Kentroma, Tritsi, Kokokila, Sarakiniatika, Plagia, Kalami, Vlachatika, Kavalerena should evacuate now to Ipsos. And Brits in Viglatouri and Nisaki should flee to Barbati.
The Government said on Sunday afternoon it was ‘actively monitoring the fires in Rhodes’ and is in close contact with the local authorities.
The Foreign Office has deployed a Rapid Deployment Team of five staff and four British Red Cross responders who have been pictured trying to help British nationals at the airport.
