A one-off payment has already been issued to 112 eligible residents whose homes were fully or partially damaged in the devastating wildfire that swept through mountainous areas of Limassol, according to the Commissioner for Mountain Communities, Charalambos Christofinas.
Pictured above left, he added that authorities aim to complete the emergency relief process by Wednesday, 6 August.
Speaking after a meeting with local community leaders and DIKO party officials in Agios Amvrosios, Christofinas said that government departments had worked through the weekend to expedite compensation.
“Around 112 cases have been processed and forwarded to the Treasury, and we aim to finalise all payments by Wednesday,” he said.
He added that some delays arose from additional damaged homes reported late and from technicalities, such as completing FIMAS payment registration forms.
Approximately 450 homes have been reported damaged, though not all are covered under existing schemes.
“Some cases were reported more than once, by both owners and tenants,” Christofinas explained, noting that verification is causing minor delays.
Besides the emergency support for basic needs, he stressed that authorities are also working to immediately house displaced residents. Close coordination continues with Civil Defence and the Interior Ministry to ensure effective solutions.
He also said that the Cyprus Scientific and Technical Chamber (ETEK) conducted its first on-site assessments on Friday and that a full methodology for property evaluations is expected imminently, with final compensation estimates projected within 20 days.
As for damaged businesses, he said that following the visit of Energy Minister George Papanastasiou, a dedicated team has been formed, and compensation for equipment and raw materials is expected to begin shortly.
The Commissioner also noted that electricity supply has been restored to 90% of affected areas, with full restoration expected by week’s end. The number of destroyed electricity poles has risen to nearly 900. Water supply has been fully restored, he added, though crews continue to repair isolated leaks.
(Source: CNA)
