Orange weather warning hits Cyprus as storms close roads and reroute flights
Storms and heavy rain swept across Cyprus on Wednesday, shutting the Peyia-Lara road, delaying drivers and diverting a flight, with an orange alert in force until 5am Thursday.
An orange weather warning remains in place across Cyprus until 5am on Thursday after storms, torrential rain and strong winds struck the island on Wednesday, as reported by Cyprus Mail. A river burst its banks and forced the Peyia-Lara road to shut, with police telling motorists the route was "unsuitable for passage".
Civil Defence pushed an emergency message through the CY-Alert system at 1.47pm to people in Paphos, Limassol and parts of Larnaca district. The fire brigade went on heightened readiness, with units stationed in every district to handle flooding and other storm-related calls.
Downpours were logged in Erimi, Episkopi, Pissouri, Sotira and Kokkinotrimithia, cutting visibility on the roads, while a fallen tree blocked the Orkontas-Pedoullas route and thick fog settled over Palaichori. A Glasgow flight heading for Paphos Airport was sent to Larnaca instead because of the conditions.
What it means for residents
Anyone driving or flying in the next few hours should build in extra time and check conditions before setting out.
- On the roads: slow down, keep your distance and switch on headlights where visibility drops; treat closed routes as closed until police say otherwise.
- At home: move loose items off balconies and check that drains and gutters are clear before the worst of the rain arrives.
- In the air: confirm your flight status with the airline, as diversions between Paphos and Larnaca are already happening.
This text is written from the source article and is not a translation of it.
