Paphos district administration officials were on Wednesday recording the damage that was caused by the recent fires that ravaged properties across the region prompting the evacuation of residents from five communities.

In Psathi, some 14 residences have been affected, two of which have been completely destroyed after the fire that broke out on Tuesday in Ezousa valley according to an announcement by the interior ministry. The fire has also claimed animals and century-old trees.

At noon, the team from the Paphos district administration was assessing damage in the community of Polemi where four individual residences in Polemi have been affected, with two completely destroyed. A solar park in Polemi has also been destroyed, which deputy district officer of Paphos, Georgios Chrysafinis described as small to medium-sized.

After Polemi, teams visited Choulou and recorded two residences that have been affected by the fire.

Some of the houses concerned holiday homes, Chrysafinis said.

However, some of the residences affected by the fire in Paphos could concern unauthorised constructions, rendering their owners ineligible for state compensation. “This will be looked into later,” he said.

Regarding the approximately 50 individuals whose homes suffered severe damage and were accommodated in a hotel in Paphos overnight, their situation will be assessed to determine if they can safely return home after the restoration of electricity. Suitable arrangements will be made for those who cannot return to their houses, he said.

Some residents who were evacuated from the affected communities opted to stay with relatives.

The electricity authority has stated that repairs are currently focused on Choulou, with seven crews actively working to address the issues. Additionally, efforts are underway to restore power to scattered homes in the area, with completion expected by the end of the day.

Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou has been actively involved receiving updates from the ministry’s relevant services. He has already communicated the government’s decision to support the affected individuals and restore the damage.

“Assessment will continue, and we assure that after the damage evaluation, all licensed properties will be compensated, whether they are business premises or residences, as has been done in previous similar cases,” Ioannou told reporters after the cabinet meeting in Nicosia on Wednesday.

When asked about the amount of compensation, the interior minister clarified that it depends on the evaluations, citing a previous instance where damages up to €100,000 were fully compensated. In other cases, 80 per cent was compensated. “We will make an assessment and see the maximum amount we can compensate for licensed properties,” he said.

Ioannou reiterated that there should be no concern from the public regarding government support for the destruction of their homes or business premises, as long as they are licensed.

By early afternoon, the damage assessment was almost complete.

Members of the civil defence and officials from the Paphos district administration have been on the ground from the onset of the blaze, representing the interior ministry.

The most important thing right now, Ioannou explained, is to be by the side of the affected people and resolve any problems that arise. The damage recording and assessment will proceed quickly, within days, as it did in the Limassol district following the tornado last February.

“The track record of our current administration shows that we acted immediately, and we will do the same in this case, as much as the situations allow,” concluded Ioannou.

The civil defence has assisted in the evacuation process of three communities, namely Psathi, Lemona, and Choulou, ensuring that residents are safely relocated. Civil defence forces remain in the area and are on standby to provide further assistance as required.