Storm batters Cyprus: Lightning strikes near man, 11 flights diverted, extensive damage

A severe storm that swept across Cyprus left one man with burns after a nearby lightning strike, caused widespread flooding and infrastructure damage, and forced at least 11 incoming flights to be diverted.

The injured man, a 45-year-old Sri Lankan national, suffered minor burns to his shoulder when lightning struck near him as he was leaving a chapel in Kato Drys. The incident occurred at about 13:00, police deputy chief George Foukaris said; the man — who was with two others when the strike happened — was taken to the emergency department of Larnaca General Hospital and is believed to have been hit by lightning.

Power outages and network damage

The storm and numerous lightning strikes damaged equipment on the grid run by the Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC), leaving several areas without power. "It will take time. The problem will not be solved by magic," said EAC spokesperson Kristina Papadopulu, urging the public to be patient.

Outages were reported in the Famagusta, Nicosia, Larnaca and Paphos areas; Limassol remained unaffected. EAC said staff were called back to duty and teams were working to assess and repair the damage as quickly as possible.

Air traffic over the island was also disrupted on Saturday by heavy rain and the storm. At least 11 flights were redirected after aircraft were unable to approach Cyprus under the poor conditions. The first diversion involved a flight from Denmark bound for Paphos that was rerouted to Rhodes. Ten other flights scheduled to arrive at Larnaca between 12:00 and 13:30 were diverted to Paphos, Rhodes and Lebanon.

Authorities reported significant material damage in several places and warned that restoration of services could take time as crews work to repair the network and clear flooded roads.

Photo: press material from the event