A strong storm named Byron has caused a lot of damage in Cyprus. It brought heavy rain and floods to the island. The weather service gave many warnings because the storm was very strong. This made it hard for roads and buildings to cope. Some people had to leave their homes. The sea water near the coast also turned red, which was unusual.
The weather department gave an orange warning for heavy rain in some areas. Before and after this, there was a yellow warning for a wider area. The rain started on Tuesday night. It made the ground wet and turned streets into rivers. Many houses and shops were flooded. In the north of the island, a dam overflowed. This caused floods in nearby towns.
Many people and buildings were affected. In the north, schools closed. A center was opened to manage the crisis. Emergency teams moved people from dangerous areas to safe places like hotels. Main roads were closed because of the floods. This made it difficult for emergency services to help. In the mountains, snow and ice were expected.
At Agia Triada beach, the sea turned red. Experts said this was not dangerous. It happened because the heavy rain washed red soil into the sea. This is not very common, but it has happened before. The rain took a lot of red earth from the land into the water.
While people are being kept safe, the rain has also helped the island. Cyprus often worries about having enough water. The heavy rain will help fill up water sources that were low. The weather should get better from Friday. Storm Byron has caused problems, but it has also brought much-needed water for the summer.