Nicosia: The assessment of damage caused by Saturday's severe weather has already begun, and the Council of Ministers will decide on compensation, Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou told the Cyprus News Agency on Sunday. He noted that the framework governing compensation will be based on previous decisions of the Council of Ministers.
According to Cyprus News Agency, assessments started on Saturday afternoon in some areas of the Nicosia district and are continuing today. From Monday, district administration teams are set to visit Polis Chrysochous and other districts. Most of the reported damage is in Nicosia district, with district administration officials already visiting several communities to assess the situation. In other districts, there has been no significant damage reported, except for a lightning strike in Avgorou, located in the Famagusta district, but assessment teams will visit these areas starting Monday.
Ioannou stated that, in cases of natural disasters, existing decisions by the Council of Ministers provide specific amounts of assistance to businesses, homes, and other affected properties. The compensation framework is based on these previous decisions.
Regarding the timeline for completing the damage assessment, Ioannou mentioned that it is uncertain and depends on the volume of work involved. Once assessments are complete, the matter will be submitted to the Council of Ministers for a decision on compensation. He emphasized that a framework based on past natural disasters exists, and the scope of any compensation will align with previous decisions.
President Nikos Christodoulides stated earlier on Sunday that the state would support those affected by the severe weather. He expressed sorrow over the tragic loss of life and noted that all competent services are on alert to address the challenges and damage caused by the severe weather. He reassured that the state will stand by citizens in need and mentioned that authorities had issued warnings about the situation in advance.