Akrotiri, Cyprus. Officials on Thursday blamed the absence of emergency protocols for confusion and panic among communities near RAF Akrotiri following a drone strike there last Sunday. The issue was discussed in parliament during talks on contingency measures after the incident.
Mayor cites panic and lack of procedures
Pantelis Georgiou, the mayor of Kourion, told parliament that “not even the British expected the attack” and said his community “suffered the most” from the ensuing “panic.” He said he was alerted about the incident shortly after midnight.
Georgiou said sirens were blaring for hours and people were panicking, adding that no specific protocol was in place.
Jurisdiction limits and gaps in warning systems
Georgiou said Civil Defence cannot operate within the Sovereign Base Areas (SBA) because it has no jurisdiction there.
He said the incident highlighted a lack of shelters and early-warning sirens in the area.
MP says civil defence deficiencies persist
Akel MP Aristos Damianou said Cyprus continues to be deficient in matters of civil defence, including accessibility to shelters and the general state and numbers of shelters.
Damianou cited additional issues such as evacuation procedures and cooperation protocols with the British bases and with operators of civilian airports. Commenting on the mayor’s remarks, he said some people were “caught asleep at the wheel”.
What emergency protocols do you think should be established for communities near RAF Akrotiri?
