One of the most severe summer storms to hit Cyprus in recent years swept across the island on Saturday, leaving one person dead, several people injured, extensive damage and serious problems in almost every district.
The tragedy’s deadliest moment came in the sea area of Cape Greco, where well-known businessman and former rally driver Dimis Mavropoulos lost his life after the boat he was travelling in encountered extremely difficult weather conditions and struck rocks.
Other people who were on board were rescued, while his daughter and partner were taken to hospital for treatment. The search and rescue operation involved the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, police, the Fire Service and the National Guard.
The storm, which brought heavy thunderstorms, hail, strong winds and intense lightning activity, caused widespread disruption across the island, keeping emergency services on constant alert.
Nicosia at the centre of the storm
The Fire Service received 357 calls nationwide, with the vast majority of incidents recorded in Nicosia district. The reports mainly involved water pumping, fallen trees and objects, as well as damage caused by strong winds and heavy rainfall.
A major rescue operation was launched in Agios Dometios after a child became trapped under an awning on the balcony of a fourth-floor apartment. Rescue teams managed to free the child without injury.
The capital recorded the most extensive problems, including flooded roads, fallen trees and power supply disruptions. Strong lightning activity and powerful wind gusts caused a series of faults to the electricity network, with crews working to restore power.
In Kokkinotrimithia, a fire broke out in a large enclosed area containing a significant number of old vehicles, household appliances and construction materials.
Chaos in Larnaca and Famagusta districts
Larnaca district was also badly affected by the severe weather. According to the Meteorological Service, waterspouts were recorded at sea off the Larnaca coast, while the possibility of tornadoes remained open due to the high atmospheric instability.
In Kato Drys, a man from Sri Lanka was struck by lightning and taken to hospital for medical checks. His condition was not considered a cause for concern.
In Avgorou, lightning caused a fire in a residential storage area, damaging the property. The family living in the house was temporarily accommodated with the assistance of Ayia Napa Municipality.
In Limassol district, lightning caused a fire in a difficult-to-access area of the Kyparissia Forest, in the Kapsala area. Firefighting crews intervened quickly and brought the blaze under control.
At the same time, large amounts of water accumulated on several central roads in Limassol, causing major disruption to traffic.
Storm damages farm in Pachna
Serious damage was reported at a farm in the Pachna area after strong winds lifted the roof of a shed and damaged part of the premises.
Storms disrupt air traffic
The severe weather also affected aviation operations in Cyprus.
According to information obtained by philenews, aircraft avoided approaching the island due to the stormy conditions, resulting in at least 11 flights being diverted.
The first diverted flight was travelling from Denmark to Paphos but was redirected to Rhodes. A further 10 flights scheduled to arrive at Larnaca Airport between noon and 1.30 pm were diverted to Paphos, Rhodes and Lebanon.
Landslides cause problems on road network
Problems were also reported on the road network, mainly in mountainous areas, where rock and soil landslides occurred.
Among the affected roads were the Gerakies–Kykkos road, Orkonda–Kambos, Kambos–Chantoupa–Pyrgos and Kambos–Kykkos routes.
The storm also brought a dramatic change in weather conditions, with temperatures falling by around 10 degrees Celsius below normal seasonal levels. From the usual 36-37 degrees for the period, temperatures dropped to around 27 degrees Celsius.
According to the Meteorological Service, the severe weather was caused by an organised disturbance that reached the region from the north, bringing thunderstorms and the sharp drop in temperatures.
The conditions gradually weakened from the afternoon onwards, with isolated showers expected in the following days, mainly in mountainous areas, but without storms of similar intensity.
Read more:
Limassol businessman, rally driver Dimi Mavropoulos dies in boat disaster off Cape Greco
