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The rain from storm “Barbara” offered only a brief and modest reprieve for Cyprus’ struggling water reserves, with most of the downpour concentrated along the coast, according to the Water Development Department’s latest data.
Despite forecasts warning that the storm would do little to refill the nation’s dams, some water did make its way inland. Updated measurements on October 9 show that ten reservoirs collectively gained about 28,000 cubic meters over the previous 24 hours.
The department reported inflows of 7,000 cubic meters at Asprokremmos, 5,000 at Kannaviou, 4,000 at Evretou, 3,000 at Kouris, 2,000 each at Germasogeia, Arminou, and Polemidia, and 1,000 each at Kalavasos, Lefkara, and Dipotamos.
Even so, the overall picture remains bleak. Total dam capacity across the island has fallen to 11.9%, or roughly 34.6 million cubic meters, a level officials describe as dangerously low for this time of year.
At Lefkara, one of the hardest-hit reservoirs, capacity stood at just 14.7% on October 9, down from what little remained days earlier.
In some communities, the crisis is already acute. The Vyzakia and Argaka dams have all but dried up, holding only trace amounts, 5,000 and 3,000 cubic meters, respectively, making it nearly impossible to extract water.
Vyzakia residents say boreholes are failing too, deepening fears of a local water emergency. Community members have repeatedly appealed for long-term infrastructure fixes, but say their calls have yet to be answered.
Meteorologists caution that only sustained, heavy rainfall over inland catchments will be enough to reverse the decline. For now, the island remains parched and waiting for the next storm.
