Victims of the Paphos Fire to Start Receiving Compensation on Wednesday

Victims of last week's fires in Paphos will start receiving compensation on Wednesday, announced Minister of Agriculture Maria Panayotu.

Over the weekend, staff from the Department of Agriculture visited the fire-affected areas in Polemi and Choulou to collect claims for damage compensation. The first round of compensation will be approved by the Cabinet on Wednesday, following an order from Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides.

"I decided to visit the affected areas with the relevant ministers to hear directly from community leaders and residents about the causes of these fires and the immediate needs that the state must address," the President stated during his visit to Paphos.

The President expressed satisfaction with the information received from local leaders and representatives of the agencies involved in firefighting efforts.

A major fire in Paphos last week led to the evacuation of five villages. Drone footage from Paphos suggests that the fire might have started at an illegal dump site.

Authorities are concerned that unchecked dumping of waste in rural areas could pose a significant hazard, especially during periods of intense heat.