Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou visited the Mavrokolympos dam on Monday to assess a water leak, emphasising that protecting human life was the authorities’ primary concern.
Officials have closed roads and implemented safety measures around the dam in cooperation with Civil Defence, local authorities and police, the minister said during an on-site inspection with technical teams.
“Equipment was deployed last night to get initial readings on the dam’s stability and the source of the leak,” Panayiotou said. Two experts summoned by the Agriculture Ministry are already at the site, while specialised equipment from the Cyprus Institute of Maritime and Shipping Affairs is being transported to assist with investigations.
The minister said they expect to have a clearer picture of the dam’s stability and the leak’s source by day’s end.
Panayiotou highlighted recent improvements to dam safety measures, noting that the dam service staff had increased from one to five members since March 2024, with further recruitment planned. Eight scientific personnel will join the Water Development Department in February, she added.
The Mavrokolympos reservoir, which has a capacity of 2.18 million cubic metres, primarily supplies water for irrigation to banana plantations in the Kissonerga-Peyia area.
Read more:
