rainfall

Homes flooded in Kivisili [PHOTOS+VIDEO]

by
Homes flooded in Kivisili [PHOTOS+VIDEO]

Storms on Tuesday morning caused flooding in homes and businesses in Kivisili as well as traffic issues in the Larnaca district. Kivisili community leader, Michalis Georgiou, reported that homes and businesses in Parasolia were flooded due to heavy rainfall. This is the second time in two and a half years that this particular area has experienced flooding, with holiday homes and warehouses being the most affected. Hail and heavy rains also affected roads in Kiti, Pervolia, Mazotos, Alethriko, and Athienou.

Medicine , ‘worth millions’ destroyed in flood

by
Medicine , ‘worth millions’ destroyed in flood

Large quantities of medication, potentially worth millions of euros, were destroyed in a Health Ministry storage facility in Nicosia due to flooding caused by extreme rainfall and hailstorm. The incident occurred on Green Monday, March 18, prompting the removal of thousands more packages to prevent further damage. The health ministry is assessing the extent of the damages, with concerns over possible shortages for patients. Health Minister Michalis Damianou denied any attempt to conceal the incident and attributed it to unpredictable weather, describing it as an “act of God.” An ad hoc committee of pharmacologists has been established to address the damages and take inventory of the affected medicines. The incident is reminiscent of a previous flooding at the Finance Ministry’s basement that knocked out government servers and websites for several days.

Jellyfish take over Cyprus beaches

by
Jellyfish take over Cyprus beaches

Fact: Global warming has pushed jellyfish sightings closer to the shores of Cyprus.

Boat Race rowers told to avoid the water as UK sewage dumping surges

by
Boat Race rowers told to avoid the water as UK sewage dumping surges

– Victorious rowers in Britain’s University Boat Race have been warned not to jump into the River Thames this weekend due to alarming levels of E. coli bacteria.
– Raw sewage was discharged for more than 3.6 million hours in 2023, more than double the previous year.
– The River Thames, which hosts the annual Boat Races between Oxford and Cambridge University students, has been affected by the sewage spills.
– Organizers have put precautionary measures in place to protect the health of athletes, including covering up open wounds, regular hand-washing, and a cleansing station at the finish area.
– British water companies have been accused of failing to invest in infrastructure, leading to routine dumping of sewage in waterways.
– The government has promised to clamp down on the dumping of sewage, which is only supposed to happen during exceptional rainfall to prevent it from backing up into homes.

In Iraq, water crisis leaves farmers clinging to sidr trees

by
In Iraq, water crisis leaves farmers clinging to sidr trees

Iraqi farmer Ismail Ibrahim has switched from date palm trees to sidr trees, which require less water and can rely on salty groundwater. Palm trees are not as durable and can be affected by salty water, leading to a loss of quality and yield. The water shortage in Iraq, caused by damming of rivers and lower rainfall trends, is impacting farmers’ livelihoods.

Chocolate prices to keep rising as West Africa’s cocoa crisis deepens

by
Chocolate prices to keep rising as West Africa’s cocoa crisis deepens

– Janet Gyamfi’s farm in western Ghana, which was covered with nearly 6,000 cocoa trees, has been destroyed by illegal gold miners, leaving less than a dozen trees remaining.
– Ghana and Ivory Coast, the world’s top cocoa producers, are facing catastrophic harvests due to illegal mining, climate change, mismanagement, and disease.
– Ghana’s cocoa plantations are being infected with swollen shoot virus, leading to long-term decline in production.
– Cocoa prices have doubled this year, leading to higher chocolate prices for consumers.
– Illegal gold mining is rapidly expanding in Ghana, leading to the destruction of cocoa plantations.
– Cocobod, the regulatory body for cocoa in Ghana, is struggling to address the challenges facing the sector, including disease and climate change.
– Experts predict that Latin American countries like Ecuador will overtake Ghana as the world’s number 2 cocoa producer by 2027.

Dams below 50 per cent capacity despite adverse weather

by
Dams below 50 per cent capacity despite adverse weather

– Rainfall in February was only 48% of the average for that time of year, and temperatures were 2.1 degrees Celsius above normal.
– From October 2023 to February 2024, total rainfall was approximately 280.4mm, or 75% of normal.
– During the same period, 20 million cubic metres of rain flowed into reservoirs, which is below desirable levels.
– Reservoirs are at 47% capacity compared to 69% the previous year, containing 138 million cubic metres compared to over 200 million cubic metres going into the summer of 2023.
– The Kouris dam is at 40.8% capacity, Kalavasos at 30.3%, Lefkara at 63%, Asprokremmos at 55.6%, and Evretou at 54.6%.
– Inflow into reservoirs this winter has been low.
– It is unlikely there will need to be water cuts this summer, but there will be limits on the quantity given to agriculture.
– Measures are being promoted to inform farmers about improved irrigation practices and the maximum utilisation of reclaimed water.
– February’s weather included torrential rain, hail, snow in the mountains, and even a tornado, but these did not significantly contribute to reaching normal levels of rainfall for the month.
– Rainfall in Stroumbi in Paphos was 20% of the normal for February, while in Kelokedara it was 122% of the average. In the Larnaca district, rainfall ranged from 56% of normal in Meniko to 114% in Athienou.
– A tornado hit Yermasoyia on February 14, causing significant damage to houses, properties, and the electricity network, resulting in power cuts in several areas of Limassol.
– Nicosia district experienced flooding in the Potami area and damage in Kampos village due to bad weather.
– Torrential rain later in the month caused problems in Astromeritis, Evrycho, Agia Marina Xyliatou in Nicosia, and in Kofinou in Larnaca. The Kilrou dam also overflowed.
– The bad weather affected the entire island from February 13-18, impacting traffic flow on highways.
– Most weather stations recorded their highest maximum temperatures on February 6, 13, 25, and 29, reaching 16C and 17C. Only February 1 and 5 had temperatures below normal.

Fire Service on alert for yellow weather warning

by
Fire Service on alert for yellow weather warning

The Fire Service has increased its readiness due to a yellow weather warning for isolated thunderstorms issued by the Department of Meteorology. The warning is in effect from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and predicts potential localized rainfall exceeding 35 millimetres per hour, with a possibility of hail. The Fire Service, with spokesperson Andreas Kettis stating their preparedness, has equipped vehicles and an on-call team ready for emergencies. Although no weather-related calls have been received yet, the public is advised to be cautious and follow guidelines from authorities. This response follows a recent severe storm that resulted in significant property damage.

Unprecedented heavy hail hit Nicosia on Monday

by
Unprecedented heavy hail hit Nicosia on Monday

Fire crews worked into the early hours of Tuesday after heavy rains and hail struck the island, mainly affecting the municipalities of Tseri, Latsia, Lakatamia, and Strovolos. One basement in Strovolos was covered in a thick layer of hail, requiring an excavator for removal. The heavy hail and rainfall, lasting about 20 to 30 minutes, resulted in a large number of incidents. The services received 78 calls on Monday night, with 20 crews working until 2 am to respond to incidents of flooding and opening of drain pipes. These crews included 13 from the fire service, two from Support Cy, two from the civil defense, two from Etea, and a team from Pavlos. Members of the Nicosia district staff were recalled from leave to assist. Police were notified of issues caused by a large amount of water on Limassol Avenue, including several stuck vehicles and damage.