The thick blanket of African dust that smothered Cyprus for a week is finally lifting, according to the Meteorological Department. Officials said concentrations began to drop on Monday afternoon and are expected to clear completely by nightfall.
The past 24 hours marked the peak of the episode, with dust levels reaching some of the highest readings ever recorded on the island.
In several areas, concentrations exceeded the legal limit of 50 micrograms per cubic meter by as much as twentyfold.
Paphos registered the highest value at 970.8 micrograms, followed closely by Zygi at 963 and Paralimni at 809.6. Limassol reached 795.2, Larnaca 778.9, while Agia Marina Xyliatou and Nicosia recorded 596.1 and 563.8 respectively.
Air‑quality officials warned that the episode ranks among the most severe in recent years. “It’s one of the worst — not the worst, but very dangerous,” said Chrysantos Savvidis, head of the Air Quality Branch. “It can cause various problems, especially for vulnerable groups.”
Authorities say such extreme concentrations typically occur during seasonal climate transitions, but the sheer volume of dust transported from North Africa left Cyprus trapped in choking conditions for days.
Weather conditions are expected to improve significantly overnight, with rain on the way and temperatures set to rise slightly from Tuesday.
