The Paphos village of Koili was successfully evacuated by the Civil Defence as part of preparations for the fire season, it said on Friday.

The exercise, organised in cooperation with local authorities and police, was the first of five planned community drills scheduled for May.

Civil Defence said the operation aimed to test evacuation procedures and coordination between emergency services in the event of a wildfire or other emergency.

The drill also examined the creation and operation of a temporary accommodation area for evacuated residents.

Authorities said the exercise helped strengthen cooperation between Civil Defence and local communities, while giving residents the opportunity to become familiar with safe evacuation procedures.

Civil Defence thanked the residents of Koili for their cooperation, along with the community leaders and councils of Koili and Mesogi.

Officials said similar drills will continue in the coming months to improve preparedness and public safety ahead of the summer fire season.

The next evacuation exercise is scheduled to take place in the Limassol district community of Limnatis on Monday from 4pm to 8pm.