Limassol feels brunt of stormy weather

Limassol residents on Thursday braved heavy rain, with several roads in the busy city centre flooding as the Met Office issued a yellow alert for storms.

Social media users posted videos of the town’s flash flooding and heavy rainfall.

No serious damage or injuries was reported; however, Civil Defence has issued guidelines to the public on protecting themselves and their property in case of a flood.

It advises people in buildings during floods to avoid basements and move to higher levels.

People in open spaces should avoid crossing a flooded road in their vehicle or on foot.

“Stop and turn around if you come across a flooded road while driving.

“Abandon your vehicle if it gets trapped in a flooded road, as there is a risk of it drifting away,” said Civil Defence.

People are also advised to avoid electric wires and areas where landslides have occurred.

The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for heavy rain affecting mostly the island’s southwest coast, in Paphos and Limassol, from 2 pm to 11 pm.

It said Cyprus is affected by a low-pressure weather system, which is expected to dissipate from Friday.

The weather will be mainly cloudy on Thursday, with localised showers and isolated thunderstorms.

Thunder with hailstones is also expected in parts of Limassol and Paphos.

Maximum temperatures will rise to around 21 degrees Celsius inland, 22°C on the coast, and 13°C in the higher mountains.

The weather will be partly cloudy in the evening with isolated rain and possible local thunderstorms.

Temperatures will drop to around 13°C inland, 14-16°C on the coast and around 7°C on higher ground.

On Friday, the weather will be mainly cloudy, with local showers and isolated thunderstorms.

Saturday and Sunday will see more rain, although not as intense as the previous days. Temperatures will remain below the seasonal average of 20°C.