Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus has around 2,500 bomb shelters that can accommodate up to 45 per cent of the population, Civil Defence head Maria Papa said on Monday. She said efforts are ongoing to increase their number and promote sirens and the early warning system.
Shelter capacity and expansion plans
Papa said one way to increase shelter availability would be to provide incentives to reserve areas in new buildings for use as bomb shelters. She and Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou confirmed the number of shelters and their total capacity.
Early warning system and public outreach
Papa said sirens and the early warning system are being promoted, albeit slowly, with officers and volunteers undertaking to inform people in person over potential threats.
Notification about Akrotiri and precautionary measures
Speaking at a joint press conference with Ioannou, Papa said Civil Defence was notified by the National Guard half an hour after midnight that there had been an attack on the British base in Akrotiri. She said Civil Defence activated all procedures despite information indicating there was no danger for people in Akrotiri.
“As a precaution we immediately informed the local authorities and the citizens themselves that those who wanted to, could go to the Limassol KEN army training camp for as long as they wished,” Papa said.
She said Civil Defence took appropriate measures and activated procedures following information it received from the National Guard and the British bases, and that teams remain in the Akrotiri area to offer assistance.
Papa said the Red Cross was also notified that its vehicles may be needed to transport people with disabilities or those in vulnerable groups who had difficulty getting about.
“All this was done as a precaution, because the information we had from the National Guard was that the air space was clear, and this was confirmed by the British bases through the foreign ministry,” she said.
Guidance for people without nearby shelters
Papa and Ioannou said those who do not have a bomb shelter close by should remain indoors within a solid construction. They said people who are outdoors during a raid should drop to the ground, face-down, or lie in a ditch for a few minutes until the danger has passed.
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