Newsroom
As residents of Ypsonas returned briefly to collect belongings from their homes following a precautionary evacuation order, some were surprised to encounter a mobile traffic camera van stationed along a road in the area.
A video posted to social media by a local woman shows the van parked near the industrial zone, an area under threat from the ongoing wildfire. “We’re coming and going to grab a few things from our homes, and this is what you come across,” she says in the footage, referring to the vehicle equipped with a speed camera system.
Another resident, also seen in the video, stops his car and approaches the van to question the camera operator, expressing concern about its presence during an emergency situation.
The video circulated widely online and prompted a number of comments from users who questioned the decision to continue routine traffic enforcement while firefighting operations and evacuations were still under way. Many said the timing appeared out of step with the reality on the ground, where residents were focused on safety and loss prevention.
In response to the concerns, police issued a statement Thursday afternoon confirming that instructions had been given to the contractor responsible for mobile camera operations to suspend all activity in the Limassol district until Monday, July 28, due to the wildfire emergency.
Authorities noted that mobile camera deployments are scheduled monthly and implemented across Cyprus. However, they said that given the ongoing conditions in the area, enforcement operations would be paused in order to prioritize public safety and emergency response.
See the viral video below:
