A school facility in Larnaca intended to be used as temporary accommodation for foreign nationals fleeing from Lebanon has been hit by racist vandals, it was reported on Monday.

Meanwhile, the steady stream of evacuations through Cyprus is proceeding amid heightened security measures, the foreign and justice ministries said.

The school, Kiti gymnasium, appears to have been unguarded when the incidents occurred over the weekend.

Perpetrators smashed windows, wrote and drew signs on the walls, including swastikas and slogans roughly translatable as ‘Death to the Masses’.

The slogan is usually strictly football related and some have questioned any racist intent despite the presence of swastikas.

A police investigation is underway to identify and locate the perpetrators and clarify their motivations.

The decision over the intended use of the school had previously come under fire, Philenews reported, after civil defence undertook to prepare the school for the purpose on Friday.

The school board said it was not the competent authority for comment as the decision to requisition the school was taken at the ministry level.

Larnaca School Board head Damianos Minas confirmed the main damages were smashed windows and slogans spray painted throughout the school and in its multipurpose hall, where the evacuees were to be housed.

Evacuation of foreign nationals through Cyprus is proceeding at a steady pace, foreign ministry spokesman Theodoros Gotsis told state broadcaster CyBC, with commercial airlines aiming to increase the number of flights on offer.

He said around 1,000 people had transited through the island at the weekend, including 860 Australians on four flights, around 400 of whom have already left. There were also around 100 Slovakian and other nationals brought to the island by a flight chartered by that state.

Two flights with Australian nationals arrived in Larnaca on Monday, the first landing at around 11am with 145 people on board, and the second arriving shortly after 4.30pm.

Meanwhile, a flight from Larnaca to Australia carrying those who had left Lebanon departed at around 3pm with 255 people on board. Another such flight had left Cyprus on Sunday with 367 people on board.

He added that both Larnaca and Paphos airports were coping with the heightened traffic despite queues and the necessary inconvenience, exacerbated by boosted security protocols.

Australian nationals evacuated from Lebanon via Larnaca airport

The state’s provision of 7,000 beds is deemed adequate for a far greater flow of evacuations than seen at present. Most travellers transit through the island, departing for their final destinations within a matter of days, Gotsis said.

Cooperation and coordination of the Republic with foreign civil airlines as well as with military envoys for the purpose of evacuation, is ongoing he said.

Those fleeing are being temporarily hosted in state facilities, unless they require specialised medical care, in which case they are hosted at neighbouring hotels.

Over the summer the government had set up beds in schools across Larnaca and prepared sanitary facilities to accommodate them.

The Estia plan is in action, Gotsis said with the cooperation of the Cyprus Red Cross and the civil defence, as well as other state services.

Police have been on a heightened alert since last October, Justice Minister Marios Hartsiotis told CyBC, with increased numbers of officers near “sensitive” facilities, such as sea and airports, embassies, international schools and synagogues.

Up to this point, no increased irregular migration flows have been observed but the naval Navstratis plan, which involves port police and coast guard operations, is also at the ready should this become necessary, the minister said.

Meanwhile, flights by Israeli airlines between Tel Aviv and Larnaca, carrying Israeli nationals who are fleeing Israel, are ongoing, the Cyprus News Agency (CNA) reported.

Eight arrivals from Tel Aviv and nine departures to Israel are scheduled from Larnaca airport on Monday, according to information from airport operator Hermes, CNA said.

By sea, private vessels continue to arrive at Larnaca and Ayia Napa marinas carrying European nationals and diplomatic staff.

Wrecked toilet at the Larnaca gymnasium