A tornado struck the community of Avgorou in the Famagusta district on Tuesday afternoon, causing property damage and a power outage across the entire community.
The tornado ripped off rooftops, felled trees, and destroyed numerous photovoltaic systems and water heaters.
The entire community suffered a power outage, confirmed by the Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC) which reported damage to the low-voltage network. Repair teams from the EAC, the Famagusta District Administration, and the District Local Government Organisation are currently on site working to assess and repair the damage. The Deputy Mayor, Panayiotis Michaelas, confirmed that the Famagusta District Administration had been notified.
Further damage from the same weather front was also recorded in the neighbouring communities of Frenaros, Sotira, and the Kapparis area of Paralimni.
Residents describe immediate destruction
Residents described the immediate impact of the storm. Paraskevi Tsouka recounted the terrifying noise, stating she and her daughter were forced to take cover. “I heard the roar of the wind and my daughter told me it was a tornado. We hid under the table.” She confirmed that her photovoltaic panels and air conditioning unit were destroyed.
Elena Margari described the aftermath after her brother and sister-in-law had to flee their car as debris began to strike the vehicle. “They got out of the car and realised the tiles were missing from the roof of the house,” she said. Upon reaching the house, they found it flooded with water, adding: “Luckily, no one was inside the house. There was a lot of damage.”
Androula Ioannou noted the immediate visible destruction: “I went outside and saw the cypress tree down. Fortunately, the children were safe inside the house.”
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