2,000 people evacuated by sea in Rhodes

Around 2,000 people have been evacuated by sea from two beaches in Rhodes, Fire Service spokesman Yannis Artopios said Saturday evening. He said the evacuation took place “without incident.”

Three coast guard vessels, an army lifeboat, Special Forces inflatables and thirty private sailboats assisted in the evacuation.

Passenger shipper Blue Star offered one of its ferries to accommodate some of the evacuees, Artopios said. He added that “less than 10% of the island’s tourist accommodations” were affected by the evacuation order.