Tuesday, May 20, 2025

THERE ARE 2,200 SHELTERS AND THEY COVER 250,000 PEOPLE - SOME HAVE EVEN BEEN CONVERTED INTO APARTMENTS

 Filenews 20 May 2025 - by Vasos Vassiliou



The 2,200 shelters registered in the Civil Defence Register can provide cover for up to 250,000 people, it emerges from the answer of the Minister of the Interior, Mr. Konstantinos Ioannou, to a relevant question by MP Mrs. Alexandra Attalidou.

This means that, on average, each shelter is able to provide protection to 113 people.

As the minister explains, these shelters are distributed per municipality or community cluster and are divided into three categories, public, public and private.

In response to Ms. Attalidou's remark that ensuring immediate access to the designated Civil Defense shelters is not a given, in the sense that a large number of shelters have other uses or even that they have even been converted into apartments, the minister mentions that an inspection of the premises is carried out and where necessary maintenance is carried out.

It also clarifies that "based on the Civil Defence (General) Regulations, the areas are used without restriction by their owners, with the obligation, in case of need, after 24 hours' notice, to clean them so that they can be used as shelters by citizens".

On the question "as to how citizens are informed", the minister mentions that it is achieved through telephone communication through a system that operates on a 24-hour basis. Mr. Ioannou informs Mrs. Attalidou that the KIOS Center of Excellence of the University of Cyprus has been assigned the development of an application for mobile phones or computers, so that each citizen can receive guidance for the nearest shelters either by entering the address at which they are located at any time, or by automatically locating the location in which they are located. The application is expected to be completed within the first quarter of 2025. (It should be noted that the first quarter has already passed).

Regarding its action plans, the minister mentions that they are updated at regular intervals, while regarding the plans for the Evacuation of Residential Areas due to Natural and/or Man-made Disasters "POLYVIOS", the aim is to update them every 1-2 years.

Finally, answering the question regarding the plan regarding a nuclear accident, Mr. Ioannou says that the responsibility lies with the Ministry of Labour.

Moreover, in response to a question by MP Mr. Giorgos Karoulas, the minister says that the 2,200 shelters cover 30% of the population.

Regarding the use of shelters in times of peace, the minister says that these spaces are used for the purpose for which they were built, e.g. car or bicycle parking spaces or as storage areas, with the obligation for the owner to empty them within 24 hours in case of an alarm. In a number of shelters there is infrastructure, such as water or water tanks, sanitary facilities or provision for a dry toilet.

Answering another question, Mr. Ioannou says that the Ministry of Interior, through the Civil Defence, is in the process of increasing the number of shelters/areas for the protection of the population, with the aim of reaching 50% of the population coverage rate by 2025, with a final desired coverage rate of 70%.

And if a crisis arises and citizens are forced to go to the shelters, what do they eat and what do they drink? The minister advises citizens, in this case, to carry a small amount of dry food and water with them, to cover their basic needs, taking into account that the stay in the shelters is estimated to be only for a few hours.