Newsroom
Heavy overnight rain unleashed major flooding across occupied Nicosia and Kyrenia, turning streams into torrents, triggering landslides and leaving homes and roads underwater. The worst damage was reported in Kioneli, Agirta and Dikomo, where streets resembled rivers. Even the long-dry Kioneli dam overflowed, and that only intensified the chaos.
‘A dangerous situation’
Mehmet Harmanci, the “mayor” of occupied Nicosia, said every stream in the city burst its banks, creating what he called a “dangerous situation,” especially after the dam overflow. A main road near a school and the general hospital had to be closed because it sits below stream level, cutting off access to the school entirely.
He said water levels remain critical and can’t yet be reduced, though most other roads are open. Harmanci urged residents living near streams to stay alert and follow official announcements.
Kyrenia officials warn of disaster, mixed messages on schools
In Kyrenia, “mayor” Murat Senkul described the flooding as a natural disaster affecting Kyrenia, Kioneli and Nicosia. “We are sleepless and tired,” he wrote, warning parents not to send children to school as dams continued to overflow.
But “Education Minister” Nazim Cavusoglu told Kibris Postasi that all schools were open and traffic issues were “very limited,” a claim that clashed with videos and photos showing widespread flooding.
Roads shut, landslides reported, residents rescued
Parts of the Kyrenia–Nicosia road flooded, and streams overflowed in several spots. A landslide hit the Agios Epiktitos–Kythrea road, where crews are still clearing debris. Other areas, including Famagusta, Morphou and Lefka, were hit by heavy rain but escaped major damage.
The night was more dangerous in one Nicosia neighborhood near the main road to Famagusta, where rising water trapped drivers and residents inside buildings. “Civil defense” teams and local authorities rescued them.
More flooding possible
Mustafa Kofali, head of the Biologists’ Association, warned that water flow at the full Kioneli dam is expected to triple, potentially pushing floodwaters into the Mesaoria plain and even toward Famagusta. He urged people to stay home unless absolutely necessary.
Photos shared on Turkish Cypriot news sites show submerged homes, shops and cars across Kioneli, a stark reminder of a night residents won’t soon forget.
