THE FIRE Service yesterday said it had responded to over 200 calls in the last 24 hours, mainly to pump water from flooded roads and basements, as well as to rescue people and vehicles as heavy rains continued.
The good news was that some eight million cubic metres of water flowed into the island’s dams, 4.5 million in the Paphos region alone, and two million into the Asprokremmos dam in less than a day.
However the authorities were more concerned with the damage caused. Most calls for help came from Nicosia. Astromeritis village was the hardest hit, while rescue missions were sent out twice in Limassol and Paphos.
In Limassol, three youths found themselves in immediate danger when they attempted to cross Xylourikou river near Kourris dam in a four-wheel drive. The youths were trying to test the vehicle’s endurance but found themselves close to drowning instead as it started sinking. They abandoned the vehicle, and tried to swim to the other side of the river.
Three others who were in the area saw what happened and alerted the Fire Service. Firemen used a ladder to cross the three-metre deep river, tied the three youths with rope and managed to get them to safety.
In the Akamas peninsula in Paphos seven German tourists found themselves stranded after torrential rain caused a swell of water to pour down the Avgas Gorge, cutting them off from the road.
The Paphos fire brigade managed to drive through the water, gaining access to the frightened visitors. They were taken to their hotels unhurt.
Astromeritis village in Nicosia bore most of the brunt from the heavy rainfall. “Basements were flooded and elderly people stranded inside their houses,” said Andreas Nicolaou, the Fire Service Director. “In Astromeritis, ten people who were in direct danger from the rising water level were rescued. On one occasion, a crane was used to rescue a woman who was trapped inside her house,” Nicolaou added.
A number of families in the village have also been rendered temporarily homeless. “Six families had to flee their houses and stayed at the houses of friends or relatives,” said village leader Aris Kostandinou. “Monday evening was one of the most difficult our community has come across over the last thirty years,” Costantinou added.
