Several areas across Cyprus have been left without electricity after severe weather and multiple lightning strikes damaged equipment on the Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC) network.
“Hours will pass. The problem will not be solved by magic,” EAC spokeswoman Christina Papadopoulou told philenews, urging the public to remain patient.
Citizens have faced major disruption, with long waiting times on telephone lines, which have been reinforced with additional staff, Papadopoulou said.
“Problems have been recorded in Famagusta, Nicosia, Larnaca and Paphos districts. All except Limassol. Staff have been recalled, everyone is on standby and rushing to restore the damage as quickly as possible.
“We even had fires, such as in Kokkinotrimithia. The public needs to be patient. There are many incidents. Crews are dealing with the major faults first and then the smaller ones. Hours will pass. The problem will not be solved by magic,” she said.
The EAC spokeswoman said that, for safety reasons and to protect workers, crews are not allowed to carry out repairs while there is lightning activity.
Asked which areas were facing the most serious problems, Papadopoulou said the Larnaca area, particularly the community of Avgorou, had been badly affected because the network was struck by lightning.
She added that in Nicosia district, electricity supplies were being interrupted in some areas due to lightning activity, with conditions worsening as the weather deteriorated.
The EAC spokeswoman said all crews were on standby and staff had been recalled due to the situation. She added that safety remained the priority, with crews waiting until conditions allowed them to begin repair work, while appealing to the public for patience.
