Storm hits North Cyprus: Güzelyurt, Kyrenia and Lefke left without power

Heavy rain accompanied by hail, thunderstorms and gusty winds hit North Cyprus on the morning of Saturday, 29 August — two hours earlier than forecast by the meteorological service. The Civil Defence Organisation of the TRNC issued an orange warning for the period from 10:00 to 19:00; the Güzelyurt–Kalkanlı road was closed to traffic, while parts of Güzelyurt, Kyrenia and Lefke were left without electricity.

The meteorological service had expected heavy rain and thunderstorms between 12:00 and 17:00, with northerly and westerly winds of 62–74 km/h, but the bad weather began at around 10:00. Over the past 24 hours, the heaviest rainfall was recorded in Alevkayası — 13 mm, followed by Mehmetçik — 6 mm, and Esentepe and Çayırova — 4 mm each.

Dalman Aydın, general manager of Kıb-Tek, the TRNC’s state electricity company, told the TAK news agency that power poles had been knocked down on the high-voltage line between Güneşköy and Cengizköy, while trees had fallen onto the wires in several places. Electricity supplies are being restored in stages, with crews working at the affected sites.

Police closed the Güzelyurt–Kalkanlı road after a tree fell onto it. Near Bellapais, lightning struck close to a power-line pole and set trees on fire, while in Lefkoşa and Yenikent, the wind knocked down trees and tore down advertising billboards.

Civil Defence is urging people not to travel unless absolutely necessary, not to cross flooded sections of roads, and to keep away from basements, low-lying areas and power lines. Kyrenia Mayor Murat Şenkul announced that red flags had been raised on all the city’s beaches, while the Lefkoşa Municipality reminded residents of the 24-hour ALO 185 hotline for emergency reports.

The previous day, the TRNC Ministry of Labour and Social Security advised employers to suspend work at heights, on roofs and with lifting equipment from 12:00 to 17:00. Forecasters noted that the rainfall was associated with so-called instability precipitation, typical for this time of year, and expected the rain and wind to begin weakening towards the evening.