nicosia flooding — nicosia flooding — The fire service received over 60 emergency calls in the Nicosia district as heavy rain caused significant flooding on Wednesday afternoon. The deluge led to multiple incidents, with a particular focus on areas such as Strovolos, Engomi, Lakatamia, and Old Nicosia.
One notable incident involved a school bus stranded in Lakatamia, where students were safely escorted to higher ground by fire service crews. The swift response was coordinated by nine fire service teams, who worked tirelessly to address the flooding issues.
Fire service personnel focused on opening storm drains and removing water from public roads, as calls for assistance primarily centred around these concerns. Local authorities reported that staff had been recalled to duty to manage the overwhelming number of requests for help.
In addition to the fire service, support came from the Nicosia Volunteer Civil Defence Organisation, along with organised volunteer groups Support CY and ETEA, and a dedicated Civil Defence unit, all working collaboratively to mitigate the effects of the flooding.
Police reported that roads on Alexandroupoleos and Red Cross streets in Nicosia were closed to traffic due to bridge overflows. Drivers were advised to avoid these routes and seek alternatives to ensure safety amidst the hazardous conditions.
As the situation unfolded, residents expressed their concerns about the adequacy of the drainage systems in place to handle such heavy rainfall, highlighting the need for improvements to prevent future incidents.
