The mayor of Dromolaxia–Meneou has requested an official written update from Civil Defence on approved and registered shelters in four communities, as residents seek clarity on available protection facilities.
Kypros Andronikou said he had contacted Cyprus Civil Defence to obtain formal information on shelters recorded in its archive for Tersefanou, Kiti, Pervolia and Meneou, to inform the public.
“Today I had telephone communication with Civil Defence and requested official written information on the registered shelters located in the municipal districts of Dromolaxia–Meneou, which, if necessary, will be used by citizens,” Andronikou said.
He added that once the official list is received, the municipality will announce residents in line with Civil Defence guidance. He noted that specific churches in Dromolaxia and Kiti with basements had not appeared on the Civil Defence application.
Responding to questions as to why the municipality had not previously been aware of approved and registered shelters in its districts, Andronikou said it had not received information from Civil Defence. However, given the potential need to use shelters, he said the municipality had now formally requested an update from the competent authority.
Civil Defence spokesman Panayiotis Liasides said that, in addition to the SafeCy application, announcements guide areas without shelters, identifying protective spaces where citizens can seek cover.
He said that while people can search for and locate a shelter near their home or workplace, they may be elsewhere on a given day. “Citizens must find a place of protection, which could be apartment buildings, if there is no basement, under staircases or anywhere away from glass and anything else, to protect themselves from danger,” he said.
Addressing public concern over developments linked to the war situation in Iran, Liasides said people were understandably worried but stressed the need for calm to handle a difficult situation and to know what to do at a critical moment.
Asked about communities within Dromolaxia–Meneou, located very close to Larnaca airport, where no shelters exist, he said studies were underway to increase their number. Authorities were seeking new locations and had already identified some areas with large numbers of people. Private shelters cannot be listed on the application as they are for use only by residents of a specific property, he added.
Liasides said the issue of shelters required improvement and that efforts were ongoing to identify and register more facilities. He described shelters as an area needing substantial work, noting that the state’s financial capacity also played a role in what could be achieved.
On whether Cyprus could secure European Union funding to construct additional shelters, Liasides said discussion on shelters had intensified following the war in Ukraine. He noted that Europe was created after a major war, based on solidarity and peace between states.
He added that in recent years, European countries had not faced war conditions requiring the construction of shelters to protect citizens, unlike Cyprus, which experienced the 1974 Turkish invasion and continues to face occupation.
