Tornado and intense weather causes power outages (updated)

A total of €19,00 of damage was caused by a tornado which struck in the community of Kelia on Monday, officials said on Tuesday.

Larnaca district officer Odysseas Hadjistefanou said “crews recorded 14 cases of real estate which suffered various damages.

“The tornado knocked solar panels and water tanks off people’s houses and other buildings,” he said, adding that electricity pylons and trees also fell over.

He added that the list of damages will be sent to the interior ministry on Wednesday.

The power supply to communities that suffered outages over Monday night was restored by the morning, the electricity authority (EAC) announced after

Many areas of the island were in the grip of intense weather until late Monday night with power outages in Nicosia and Larnaca.

As a result of the weather conditions, EAC poles were knocked down resulting in power outages in the Nicosia communities of Lakatamia, Strovolos and Geri, as well as Lythrodondas, until midnight.

In Larnaca electricity supply was interrupted in Kelia, Oroklini and Livadia, while electricity was restored around 9pm.

The whirlwind in Kelia tore through livestock farms, uprooted trees, and ripped solar water heaters and photovoltaic panels off rooftops.

“The tornado was quite large and it is miraculous that we did not suffer any casualties,” Mayor of Kelia Panayiotis Tyrimos told the Cyprus News Agency.

The mayor further stated he had received assurances from the ministry of the interior that all due assistance would be provided and that those affected by the disaster would be compensated.

Fire services spokesman Andreas Kettis said calls for assistance were “isolated” and all came from Nicosia residents.

He noted that there were seven calls to open rainwater drains and move trees that fell after the severe weather.