Residents of Cyprus once again felt the power of nature - on Wednesday, November 12, the island was twice shaken by earthquakes measuring up to 5.4 on the Richter scale.
The epicenter of the tremors was located near the village of Kelokedara in the Paphos region. Despite the noticeable force of the earthquakes, there were no casualties, but minor damage was recorded in several buildings, including an ancient monastery and residential buildings.
In Kelokedar, the roof of an abandoned house, located in close proximity to the epicenter, collapsed. Luckily, there was no one inside and there were no casualties in the incident. The regional authorities are in constant contact with the community leadership, and engineers are ready to provide technical assistance if necessary.
Municipal services are on high alert given the ongoing adverse weather conditions in the coastal areas of Paphos.
Of particular concern was the damage to the monastery of Agios Neophytos, where aftershocks caused cracks in the walls. The abbot of the monastery said that several of them affected the temple with unique Byzantine frescoes of the 15th century, which are of great cultural value. In the coming days, specialists from the Department of Antiquities will conduct an examination and assess the required volume of restoration work.
In addition, minor damage was reported to an ancient building on Athinas Street in the center of Paphos. The fall of stones on the Paphos-Tsada road also required the intervention of the fire service, which promptly cleared the passage.
Let us remind you that two strong earthquakes occurred on Wednesday - at 11:30 and 16:30. They were followed by a series of aftershocks, some of which exceeded magnitude 3. The very next morning, another earthquake of magnitude 3.9 was registered in the Paphos region, which was felt by residents of nearby villages.
The director of the Geological Survey of Cyprus, Christodoulos Hadjigeorgiou, noted that new aftershocks are possible in the coming days, but stressed that the situation is under control, and experts are monitoring activity around the clock.
Following a series of earthquakes, Cypriot authorities have intensified inspections of the condition of ancient buildings, especially those of historical or religious value. The priority remains the safety of residents and the preservation of architectural monuments, which are an integral part of the cultural image of Paphos and the entire island.
Experts remind that Cyprus is located in a seismically active zone in the Eastern Mediterranean, and such fluctuations in the earth’s crust are not uncommon. However, modern monitoring technologies make it possible to promptly identify risks and prevent serious consequences.
Source: cyprus-mail.com
