Crews are continuing to clean up the road network on Monday in the aftermath of extreme winds over the weekend which mainly affected the island’s capital.
The mayors of Nicosia and Strovolos said several main road arteries had been affected, including Strovolos Avenue, Iosif Hajiosif street and Latsia Avenue. Christmas decorations were also damaged and trees over one-hundred-years old were felled.
Strong winds on Sunday caused the uprooted trees, as well as broken branches, fallen electricity poles, downed power cables, and construction, and other, materials to be blown about.
The fire service responded to 129 calls over the weekend, of which 114 occurred in Nicosia,13 in Larnaca, and two in Famagusta, fire service spokesman Andreas Kettis said.
In the last 24 hours the department had responded to more incidents, bringing the total up to 154, 137 of which special service calls, and 17 fires, the service reported.
The most serious call concerned a tree which had crashed through power lines over three cars, trapping a driver in Agios Dometios. A rescue team responded to extricate the driver from the vehicle. She was subsequently transferred to the Nicosia general hospital A&E department for treatment.
The electricity authority (EAC) also talked the driver of a fourth vehicle through how to move and cut off power to cables which had crashed down onto his car, achieving his safe removal.
Crews were working throughout the night and most incidents involved clearing away fallen trees and blown about makeshift structures, such as awnings from public or private spaces, but also loosened scaffolding, photovoltaic panels, road signs, and billboards.
The fire department worked with 13 crews reinforced by the civil defense and organised volunteer groups Support Cy, SOS, Cyprus Rescue Team, Kettis said.
Nicosia and Strovolos mayors urged the public to be especially vigilant about weakened trees which are unstable, and report any concerns immediately to the following numbers:
Nicosia: 22797000 (24-hour hotline); Strovolos: 22470400 (working hours 9-5)/ 99643044 (after hours)
Elsewhere, the EAC announced that its crews had restored power to all medium voltage lines after several of the capital’s streets were left without power in Ayoi Omologites, Strovolos, Lakatamia and Kokkinotrimithia.
