By Alexia Saoulli
THE TOTAL damages caused by Saturday’s freak storm in Nicosia will be known after an assessment report is completed on Friday, Interior Minister Andreas Christou said yesterday, adding local authorities had been asked to submit suggestions for improvements in city drainage systems.
Christou said the amount of rainwater that had fallen in two hours on Saturday was the equivalent of 72 hours of continuous rain.
The torrential rain, which flooded homes, shops, basements and cars, lashed the capital mercilessly, forcing the Fire Department and police force to answer hundreds of emergency calls. Claims for flood compensation have been bombarding insurance companies since.
“Our attempts are continuing – even if we were interrupted by the rain on Monday – to achieve a full picture of the situation,” Christou said, adding he could not yet give any figures as to what the damage might have been, despite information that various people had suffered huge damage to their properties.
“There are some shortcomings in the rainwater drainage systems, but it would be excessive to say the damage had been caused only for that reason… It is possible there are other more general things at fault,” he said. “For instance no general rainwater drainage planning for greater Nicosia has been drawn up, something which is currently being carried out in greater Limassol and will be finished within a week,” Christou added.
“It’s not about draining water that appears on the tarmac, but about catching it on time; the bulk of water that comes from external areas towards the centre must be absorbed before it drowns or chokes the drainage system,” explained the minister. “There is no way a street’s drainage system can absorb water that has come from a kilometre away.”
The Interior Ministry has asked the Nicosia Municipality and other Municipalities to prepare an assessment of the situation in order to determine what can be done to improve the situation, he said.
Nicosia Mayor Michalakis Zampelas has already submitted suggestions for constructing drainage systems in 150 streets, as well as the construction of pavements, Christou said.
However, the minister said several owners had been to blame for damage to their property because they had failed to take appropriate safety measures against flooding, and said it was everyone’s individual responsibility to ensure their property’s safeguarding.
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