\N
In the 24 hours that passed and up to this moment the total responses of the Fire Service due to weather conditions have reached 180 of which 160 relate to the greater area of Nicosia 8 to the Limassol District, 7 to the Larnaca District and another 5 to the area of operational responsibility of EMAK, Cyprus Fire Service Press Spokesman and Public Relations Officer Andreas Kettis told the Cyprus News Agency today.
Asked what the calls received by the Fire Service were about Mr. Kettis said that the majority of the calls involved rainwater pumping from underground semi-underground areas/shelters and several cases of rescues of people, who were trapped in their vehicles while riding in flooded roads or in some cases in riverbeds or stormwater with rushing water and several tows of vehicles with or without occupants to safety.
In response to a question, Kettis said crews were working to process calls throughout the night and noted that Fire Department crews were continuing pumping from livestock houses.
He also reported that they have recalled staff since yesterday[/B] and added that the contribution of the Police Civil Defence and other volunteer organisations has been very important over the last 24 hours.
"Everyone has been supportive and helped the Fire Brigade to fulfill its task," he added.
Asked if they have found any damage due to the heavy rainfall, Mr. Kettis said that there are several damages, especially in areas that have been flooded in lodgings or other underground, semi-subterranean areas.
"Of course these things will be recorded afterwards. We are just now investigating incidents," he added.
\NKettis said that the Fire Department is on standby and noted that in many cases from the drizzling rains, many tenants of sub-structures identified the damage and problems today and that's why there are still crews out and investigating the calls.
In his message ahead of the New Year, the Fire Service spokesman urged people to be cautious, "to now assimilate that what is happening, intense phenomena, whether they are rainfall or other severe weather events or even fires will now be in our lives because of the change in climatic conditions and the climate crisis we are now going through."
"In addition to the works that are planned or have been or will be done to mitigate these problems, he must also learn on a personal level to be careful both especially in his movements with vehicles, which were numerous cases that we responded for such cases that put themselves at risk because they did not properly assess the risk, but also measures of self-protection for the precaution of his property We wish the whole world a happy New Year, which will come with as few problems as possible and we hope to overcome the pandemic as soon as possible and get back to our normal rhythm," he concluded.
Meanwhile, the Larnaca Civil Defence following information from the Fire Service, has been mobilised to pump water from flooded premises, Civil Defence spokeswoman Olivia Michaelidou said in a Twitter post.
Source: KYPE
\NContents of this article including associated images are belongs Cyprus Times\NViews & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or Cyprus Times\NSource