Filenews 27 September 2025 - by Angelos Nikolaou
An alarm has been sounded by the competent state services about the risk of extreme flooding in the areas of mountainous Limassol affected by the catastrophic fires of July. The Water Development Department (WDD) is proceeding with urgent flood and erosion protection works, while at the same time emergency measures are activated in case of heavy rainfall.
More than 60 critical intervention points have already been identified in the main watercourses of the area (Ha-Potami, Paramalliou, Kryos and Kourris), where the construction of gabions and flow regulation terraces is planned.
The projects have been prioritized in two phases, with Phase A expected to be completed by the end of October, provided that the land ownership issues identified during the topographic survey are resolved.
Despite the generally low probability of extreme rainfall during the autumn months, the situation is treated with particular seriousness due to the bare scorched earth and the possible blockage of culverts by sediments.
In case of issuance of a yellow, orange or red warning by the Department of Meteorology, specific preventive measures are activated: 1) Continuous monitoring of road intersections with rivers, with their possible closure in case of culvert blockage or overflow. 2) Prohibition of traffic on unregistered roads due to the risk of entrapment or sweeping of vehicles. It mainly concerns roads that were opened in or along streams. 3) Removal of tenants from the two individual houses in Agios Ambrosios. They were found at low altitude, near rivers. Removal should be done preventively, with every warning and especially in orange or red. The president of the community council of Ag. Ambrosios in case of any extreme weather phenomenon will properly notify the tenants to move away from their homes.
As noted, the measures must remain active for three hours after the warning ends, as flood runoff can peak with a delay.
Particular importance is also given to the Kourris dam, which acts as a "shield" against floods, since it collects water from about 80 square kilometers of burnt earth. With an occupancy rate of just 11.5%, the dam can absorb any flood flow, protecting the downstream areas of the suburbs of the city of Limassol from flooding for the next two years without overflowing.
At the same time, a water quality monitoring program is implemented to identify possible impacts from debris, ash or fire retardants. Sampling has already been carried out in the reservoir and rivers, and monitoring will continue depending on rainfall.
Although the burned area does not belong to an Area of Potential Significant Flood Risk, and there are no historical floods with serious impacts on the area, the lack of vegetation and the presence of sediments enhance the vulnerability of the landscape.
Flood risk response
The Water Development Department (WDD) has drawn up a comprehensive anti-erosion and flood protection plan for the fire-affected areas of mountainous Limassol, with immediate and medium-term interventions, mainly with the construction of systems for the retention of sediments (gabions) and the regulation of the flow in the streams.
However, because the projects have not yet been completed and there is a (even small) possibility of an extreme flood phenomenon before their completion, it was deemed necessary to take emergency flood risk management measures, especially in the event of a strong warning from the Department of Meteorology.
Although September and October are generally dry months, and the statistical probability of a rare flood occurring (with a recovery period of 1 in 20 years) is only 1.25%, there is still a risk due to debris and bare soil and loss of retention and delay of runoff from vegetation.
The WDD has sent maps and Google Earth files to the competent Authorities and the Civil Defence, with the points affected by water streams, the intervention points and the sections of the road network that need to be monitored.
Although the Kourri dam provides substantial safety (low occupancy, high capacity), the blockage of culverts by sediments can cause local flooding. Attention is mainly focused on the road network, the protection of the downstream areas, the quality of the dam water.
Emergency measures are well-targeted, immediately applicable and based on geospatial analysis and on-site inspections. It is necessary for local authorities to be constantly vigilant, in particular to inform residents, take preventive decisions and quickly activate an emergency plan.
Actions for the requisition of private land by the WDD
Significant changes in the natural flow of streams in mountainous Limassol were recently identified by the Water Development Department (WDD), after the completion of topographic works in the context of the planning of flood protection projects. According to the WDD, the displacement of the flow of the streams resulted in the riverbeds currently falling under private real estate, which causes serious obstacles to the implementation of the necessary technical works.
Following the catastrophic floods that affected areas of mountainous Limassol, the WDD was immediately mobilized to design and implement anti-erosion and flood protection interventions. Five construction contracts have already been launched, with the aim of completing first priority projects by the end of October.
The projects are planned to be implemented in two phases. The first phase includes the construction of approximately 25 gabions-type platforms, which are considered critical and are expected to be completed by October 2025, while the second phase will follow with completion by February 2026.
However, the cross-checking of the terrestrial topographic data with the official data of the Land Registry revealed serious discrepancies between the registered position of the streams and their actual flow. In several cases, the points where the weaves are required to be constructed are located within private plots, prompting the need for legal requisition procedures.
In order to ensure the smooth implementation of the projects, the WDD sent a letter to the Department of Lands and Surveys on September 8, requesting the immediate requisition of the private real estate affected by the projects. As noted, the timely start of the procedures is crucial, as a reasonable time is required for both the legal settlement and the preparation of the construction sites.
Competent services are called upon to expedite the necessary actions to ensure the timely start and completion of the flood protection works, which are considered necessary for the safety and protection of the mountain communities of Limassol.
