Torrential downpours cause havoc in Nicosia and Larnaca
NICOSIA and parts of Larnaca were deluged early yesterday afternoon as heavy rains fell almost non stop for over two hours, flooding roads, houses, shops and factories.
The fire brigade said that by 4pm it had gone out to help in over 60 cases in Nicosia and 35 cases in the Larnaca district as motorists became trapped in their cars and people panicked when water levels began to rise to the point of flooding homes on ground level. By 8pm the number of calls answered by fire services had increased to 100.
So heavy was the rainfall that the Pedieos River filled up within minutes and overflowed in most areas of the capital through which it runs to the point where some motorists were in danger of being carried off by the water, although the fire services said no one had been in serious danger and no injuries were reported.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Litsa Andreou from Lakatamia. “The widest part of the river here has overflowed and the digger which was cleaning out the tunnels had to leave because the river was going to take his vehicle.”
Down town, shoppers and summer-clad tourists raced for cover in doorways as Ledra Street turned into a river of its own with water levels ankle deep in some places as shopkeepers rushed to sweep away the rising tide from their doorways.
“I had to stand for 20 minutes freezing in a shop doorway,” said one shopper. “It looked like it was never going to stop raining and I toyed with the idea of taking off my sandals and paddling on.”
Woolworth’s had to bring down their shutters at the main entrances to stop water coming in, which trapped more shoppers in the store.
Other areas in Nicosia that were badly affected were Latsia and Aglandjia, where the CyBC also reported flooding to its buildings. Television footage last night showed at least half a dozen corporation employees sweeping ankle-deep water out of their offices.
All of the Nicosia outlying villages, such as Klirou, Tseri, Deftera and Ergates also had problems and some areas also reported brief power cuts.
In Larnaca 35 calls for help were answered when flooding hit some areas including the sea front at Phinikoudes. However the incidents in Larnaca were minor compared to those in the capital, reports said.
However one Larnaca man told television stations he was trapped for hours in his car inside a car park in the town. “I couldn’t get home,” he said. “Every time it rains this happens”.
Fire Service press spokesman Stelios Stylianou said altogether they went out to over 60 calls in Nicosia, mostly to rescue trapped drivers. “At one point we had something like 220 calls in the space of minutes for Nicosia,” he said. Firemen were still out and about around 6pm even though the worst of the rain had passed. Stylianou said they would remain on alert for the rest of the night as the bad weather is due to continue.
When deciding what calls to answer, he said the Fire Service usually prioritised the rescue of children and the elderly. He said there were people out there who call even if they only had a glassful of water on their floors.
“We are working around the clock and will continue to do so until we are satisfied that no one is in trouble,” he said. “I’m quite sure we will find our selves in the same situation again tomorrow.”
Director of the Meteorological Services Kyriacos Theophilou said rain and storms would continue today “even more intensely”. On Thursday and Friday it would ease off to some degree, he said but could not promise any clear June skies, even by Saturday.
Theophilou also said that temperatures would continue to be lower than average for this time of year at 27°C inland and only 24°C on the coast, and 17°C in the mountains.
Police announced later yesterday that the road from Deftera to Anthopoulos was closed due to flooding of the Pedieos as were other roads in Lakatamia, Strovolos and Prodromos Street near the offices of the Red Cross, which are on the river.
Roads were also closed, they said in Ayios Trimithias towards Paliomethocho and Ergates.
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