Unrelenting winds batter Cyprus, Nicosia hit hardest

Unusually strong winds that swept across Cyprus since Sunday have caused widespread disruption, with Nicosia bearing the brunt of the damage. Emergency services, including the Police, Fire Brigade, and Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC) crews, have been working around the clock to respond to the chaos.

According to Fire Department Spokesman Andreas Kettis, crews responded to 154 incidents in the past 24 hours, including 17 fires and 137 emergency calls. Of these, 129 were directly related to the severe winds, which toppled trees, scattered debris, dislodged billboards, and even brought down scaffolding and photovoltaic panels. Trees falling onto EAC power lines were among the most pressing concerns.

“We mobilized thirteen crews and received support from Civil Defense and the volunteer Cy-SOS Cyprus Rescue Team,” said Kettis. One of the most serious incidents occurred in Agios Dometios, where a falling tree and downed EAC electrical cables struck three private vehicles, trapping a driver in one of them. Emergency responders from Nicosia Fire Stations rescued the individual in coordination with ambulance services, stabilizing the driver and transferring them to Nicosia General Hospital. EAC crews were called to disable the power and safely remove the fourth vehicle affected by the fallen cables.

Most of the incidents occurred in Nicosia, where 114 calls were logged, compared to 13 in Larnaca and 2 in Famagusta. The relentless winds prompted Nicosia fire stations to recall personnel to handle the surge in emergencies.

Meanwhile, power outages left parts of Nicosia without electricity, with EAC crews racing to repair damaged lines since Sunday. Many residents still remain without electricity as repair teams work tirelessly to restore power to affected areas.

Crews continued to tackle incidents into the early hours of Monday morning, but the unusually strong gusts—part of a peculiar weather system currently gripping the island—have tested the limits of Cyprus’ emergency response infrastructure.

While the winds are expected to ease in the coming days, the damage left in their wake will likely take longer to address, leaving Nicosia residents and authorities bracing for continued challenges.