Police warn over icy roads, help eight drivers (update 3)

Roads leading to the mountains remain closed due to snow, police said on Thursday, adding they had rescued eight drivers trapped in the snow

In a warning to drivers over slippery roads, police said they needed to intervene and provide assistance to eight vehicles that were trapped in the snow.

In one of these cases, a car with a family inside was trapped on the Platres-Troodos road and police transferred the passengers with a patrol car to the hotel where they were staying in Platres, the announcement said.

Apart from the roads leading to Troodos, police warned drivers that the Palechori-Agros, Askas-Fterikoudi, Farmakas-Apliki, and Lagoudera to Xyliatou, Saranti, Polystypou and Chandrion, Gouri-Macheras roads were also closed.

Also closed due to frost were Lagoudera – Xyliatou, Lagoudera – Chandria, Farmakas – Odou, Farmakas – Gouri, Farmakas – Apliki and Palaichori – Agros.

Images: Christos Theodorides

Meanwhile, only four-wheel drive or vehicles equipped with snow chains can use the Pedoulas – Prodromos, Pedoulas – Pinewood-Kakopetria, Kakopetria – Karvounas, Kakopetria – Spilia – Cannavia, Pedoulas – Kykkos – Kampos and Orkoda – Kampos roads

Other roads with restricted access include Ayios Theodoros – Zoopigi, Agios Theodoros- Papoutsas Paleochori-Agros, Agros- Chandria, Chandria-Kyperounda-Karvounas, Pelendri-Potamitissa, Potamitissa-Agros, Potamitissa-Kato Milos, Agridia-Agros, Pedoulas-Kykkos-Kambos, and Orkonda-Kambos as well as Palechori – Askas, Askas – Fterikoudi, Fterikoudi – Alona – Platanistassa, Lagoudera – Polystypou, Apliki-Palechori.

“Drivers using the above roads are advised to exercise extreme caution and drive at low speed to avoid road collisions,” police said.

The snow on Thursday morning reached a depth of 75cm at the highest peak of Troodos, as temperatures fell to -9C, KitasWeather reported.

In most of the mountains, snow reached up to 1-5 cm, while in hills where there was some light snowfall, snow does not exceed 1-2 cm.

Heavy frost is also observed in the mountains, while frost is also observed in lowland areas, KitasWeather added.

A yellow weather warning is in force until 10pm on Thursday for extreme low temperatures.

Lagoudera: Video provided by Agathe Venizelou