Police on Sunday afternoon said there was traffic on the Larnaca to Nicosia motorway.

Motorists are urged to drive at low speed and keep a safe distance from other vehicles.

The high for the season temperatures led many people from Nicosia to go to the beach, causing increased traffic on their return home.

The temperature rose to around 36 degrees Celsius inland, around 30C on the coast and 28 C in the higher mountainous areas.

On Monday the temperature is expected to be around 37C inland, 31C in the coastal areas and 30C in the higher mountainous areas.

The temperature is expected to start gradually dropping on Tuesday to reach near seasonal levels by Thursday.