Government decides on weather compensation

Cabinet on Wednesday decided to compensate primary residences damaged during the weekends’ torrential rains in Famagusta and Larnaca districts.

The exact amount will be decided next week once communities complete recording the damage, Interior Minister Nicos Nouris said after the meeting of the council of ministers.

He estimated the compensation for premises in the Larnaca area will amount to €150,000 and another €30,000 for Dromoloxia – Meneou. The damage in Famagusta district has not yet been estimated.

So far, authorities have recorded damage to about 150 premises.

In Larnaca, damage was found to 53 houses and three commercial premises and in Dromoloxia to five houses and five cars. In the government-controlled area of Famagusta, 43 residences were damaged, of which 17 are holiday homes and 26 permanent residences.

There was also lighter damage to 12 hotels and 33 commercial premises, the minister said.

The interior ministry will submit a detailed list and a concrete proposal during the next session of cabinet, Nouris said, explaining there were some objections on the first assessment.

However, the decision was taken that, particularly with regard to primary homes, there will be compensation based on specific criteria.

Last week’s heavy rains flooded houses and businesses in the two districts, where over a dozen crews from various services were active, rescuing at least 35 people and towing vehicles trapped on the flooded roads.