A driver has been fined €2,000 for driving his car into Larnaca's Salt Lake, leaving two cars stranded for days in one of Cyprus's most vulnerable nature reserves.
The fine was issued under environmental protection regulations after vehicles became stuck in mud earlier in the week, the Department of Environment said. The incident has raised concerns about possible damage to the fragile ecosystem and disruption to migratory birds returning to the region for the winter.
A study is underway to determine the safest way to remove the vehicles without causing further harm, department officials said. Experts evaluate the weight and dimensions of the vehicles to determine whether rescue units - army, police or fire - can enter the area without threatening wildlife or damaging the natural landscape.
“The main goal is to minimize the impact on the environment. We must make sure that the chosen evacuation method will bring as little disturbance to the birds as possible and will not disturb the lake’s ecosystem,” the department representative emphasized.
Police previously confirmed that the first car drove into shallow water and got stuck, while the second tried to help and also got stuck. Larnaca Municipality reminded that vehicles are strictly prohibited from entering the lake area and announced plans to install additional warning signs and increase patrols to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Larnaca's salt lake, just minutes from the city center and airport, is part of the Natura 2000 network of protected areas and is home to thousands of flamingos and other bird species every winter. Any traffic on the surface of the lake is strictly prohibited, since tire tracks and soil compaction destroy the salt crust and cause irreparable harm to microorganisms that ensure the natural balance of the wetland complex.
Source: cyprus-mail.com
