STRONG winds and torrential rain caused more damage to roads over the weekend, but have been good news for the island’s water supplies with dams on the verge of overflowing.
Police rescued seven drivers on Sunday who were trapped in floods in the Limassol district. Three other people called the police when their vehicles got stuck in mud on the Kambos to Pyrgos road.
One 30-year-old who was driving in Akamas got caught in a current that carried his car several metres down the road. In another incident, five hunters driving in the Lythrodontas area got trapped in the mudslides.
The rain and cold yesterday forced pupils from the Ypsonas primary school to walk out in protest because the heating was not working and the roof was leaking.
The President of the Parents’ Association, Aristos Aristidou, said that if the problem was not solved by today, the pupils would refuse to enter the building.
The rain caused havoc once again in Larnaca on Sunday and yesterday. The meteorological centre recorded a rainfall of 20cm.
More water has flowed into the island’s dams so far this January than in the Januaries of 1995-1997 combined, Agriculture Minister Timis Efthimiou said yesterday. The dams now hold 70 million cubic metres of water.
The dam to fill with the most rainfall was the Kalavasos dam and for the first time in 12 years the river Pentaschinos began to flow after Sunday’s downpour, when the nearby Dipotamou dam overflowed, with 15 million cubic metres of water.
According to the water board, the Asprokremos dam in Paphos is expected to overflow within the next few days, as it now holds 48 million cubic metres of water out of a total capacity of 52 million cubic metres.
The flow of the Diarizos River in the Paphos district is also causing problems for residents as it has flooded the bridge crossing.
Police are appealing to drivers to steer clear of the flooded roads and to be careful when driving.
Due to the snowfall, all roads leading to Troodos are closed to all vehicles. In Nicosia, Alexandroupoleos Street and Strovolos Avenue were closed when the Pedieos River overflowed.
Police are advising drivers to use chains on their tyres when approaching roads leading to the mountains, as they are very slippery and dangerous. In the event that there is thick fog drivers are advised to use their lights.
The snow has reached a height of 85 cm on Mount Olympus and 75 cm in Troodos.
Rain is expected to continue throughout today across the island, but clouds will begin to clear by tomorrow. However, on Thursday and Friday more rainfall is predicted with temperatures falling slightly.
