A severe leak at Mavrokolympos dam near Pegeia is worse than initially feared, with officials concerned the reservoir may empty completely before repairs can be made.
Large quantities of stored water flowed into the sea and surrounding land on Sunday night, prompting Water Development Department (WDD) officials to maintain overnight presence to prevent damage to passing vehicles and property.
Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment Minister Maria Panayiotou is heading to the dam site. In a post on X platform Sunday night, she said she remains in constant contact with the Acting Director of WDD and is coordinating with the Mayor of Akamas.
“I have instructed that all preventive measures be taken to ensure everyone’s safety – workers, residents, and passersby – which is our primary concern,” Panayiotou wrote. “We are working to identify the source and causes of the leak to implement immediate corrective actions.”
The leak was first discovered by a WDD employee at 4 p.m. on Sunday. Police spokesperson said officers are at the scene, and a civil engineer’s preliminary inspection found no immediate danger.
The Mavrokolympos artificial lake has a capacity of 2.18 million cubic metres and collects water from the Mavrokolympos river. According to the Mayor of Akamas, the dam was built to serve irrigation purposes, primarily for banana plantations in the Kissonerga-Pegeia area.
The WDD has apologised for any inconvenience and urged citizens to follow officials’ instructions while investigations into the cause of the leak continue.
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