Authorities said on Thursday they hope by next week to complete cataloguing the damage caused to some 700 premises during the devastating wildfires that swept through mountain communities in the Limassol district late last month.

The task is being undertaken by the Scientific and Technical Chamber (Etek).

Etek director Constantinos Constanti said 15 teams have been set up and are already visiting the affected communities, cataloguing the damage to premises and estimating the monetary value of the damage. That data will then allow the government to pay out compensation.

Each team consists of an architect/engineer and a surveyor.

Approximately 700 premises were damaged in the blaze of July 23 to July 24, said Constanti.

“The teams are examining the 700 cases one by one, and later another team will make a second pass, for verification. The results are recorded in an Excel spreadsheet and will be sent on next week, I hope, to the ministry.”

The premises damaged include residential units, holiday homes, businesses and listed buildings.

The Etek teams have already examined some 400 premises – those sustaining partial damage. They are now inspecting those premises that were completely gutted by the fires.

“I hope that very soon we will complete this work – before the mid-August holiday break,” said Constanti.

The Etek boss praised the efforts of the teams, who have been working pro bono since last week.

“They’re working on a voluntary basis, and I really tip my hat to them,” he remarked.

Many of the Etek experts had to leave their normal jobs or postpone their holidays to get the job done.

The sooner the damage assessment task is completed, the sooner people can get compensated, Constanti added.

Any compensation given, he went on to say, would be something, but would not make up for the overall devastation of the fires, which “turned an oasis of green into scorched earth”.