The total cost of the restoration of buildings and structures destroyed and damaged during destructive fires in July in the Limassol area is estimated at about € 40 million. Such data on Tuesday, September 23, presented the scientific and technical chamber of Cyprus (ETEK).
According to ETEK, in the first weeks after the disaster, 760 applications for compensation were submitted. About 100 of them were rejected, as they concerned either vehicles and equipment or buildings without permits and insurance.
The remaining 650 cases were classified as follows: approximately half of the buildings were completely destroyed, the rest were partially damaged. At the same time, about 220 objects received only minor damage, the restoration of which will require an average of € 3.700. Another 100 buildings are recognized as “moderately damaged” - the cost of their repair is estimated at about € 30,000.
The greatest damage fell on the buildings burnt to the ground. The average cost of their recovery was about € 115,000. Considering that there were 330 such cases, the total expenses are approaching € 38 million, which is about 90% of the total damage.
Thus, the total cost of restoring all injured structures and houses reached € 41.1 million. These grades practically coincide with a report published at the end of August by the Bureau for Control of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive Substances (ATF) of the US government.
According to American experts, the fire completely destroyed 224 residential buildings and partially damaged another 308. In addition, about 300 cars burned out or received serious damage.
ETEK experts began work on August 5, after meeting with the Minister of the Interior Konstantinos John. For calculations, current market prices for a square meter were used.
“We ensured maximum transparency and speed of work using standardized methods, which allowed us to massively and effectively identify damage and assess the damage,” the ward noted.
Fires of 2024 have become one of the most destructive in recent decades in Cyprus. The country's authorities, together with international experts, continue to work on a program for restoring the injured areas and are developing new fire safety measures.
Source: Cyprus-Mail.com
