Firefighters rescued 31 hikers trapped by rising floodwater in Avakas Gorge, Paphos, in two separate operations yesterday — all emerged safely.
Avakas Gorge, one of Cyprus’s most popular hiking trails, follows the course of the Avgas River through a narrow limestone canyon near Pegeia. The trail’s final section runs directly through the riverbed, leaving hikers exposed when water levels rise rapidly.
The first call came in at 13:13, reporting 26 people caught inside the gorge as water levels rose around them while hiking. The Pegeia Rural Fire Station deployed rescue ropes and life rings to bring all 26 to safety.
Three hours later, a second call reported five more people trapped. Firefighters pulled three from the water using rescue equipment; the remaining two, stranded at a separate location, managed to find their own way out.