Orange warning from Greek Cypriot Meteorological Department: 18 areas could be flooded

According to the newspaper Alithia, rainfall starting from the west of the island is expected to intensify this afternoon and evening, and the entire island is forecast to be under the influence of rainy weather by tomorrow morning.

Noting that the precipitation is expected to take the form of locally heavy thunderstorms and hail, the newspaper stated that intermittent local rainfall is projected to continue from tomorrow until Saturday.

The report stated that the orange warning will be valid from 19:00 this evening until 05:00 tomorrow morning, drawing attention to the possibility that the rainfall may be intense and prolonged in some regions, and issuing a warning against the risk of floods.

The newspaper wrote that, according to flood risk maps prepared by the Water Development Department, 18 potential flood risk areas associated with riverbeds and flow routes have been identified in South Cyprus, and the study evaluates floods at three different risk levels: mild events that statistically occur about once every 20 years, moderate events once every 100 years, and very serious events once every 500 years.

Stating that officials drew attention to the possibility of floods occurring outside of these mentioned areas as well, the newspaper noted that local conditions in particular could increase the risk of flooding.

The report stated that the Water Development Department has published interactive flood hazard maps on its website to enable citizens to examine flood risks, and by entering information such as sheet, plan, and parcel numbers of properties into the system, it is possible to check whether there is a potential flood risk and the areas that potential water inundation could reach.