FAMAGUSTA GAZETTE – Police in Limassol are on high alert after a suspicious man with a backpack was spotted lurking in a wooded picnic area — just days after devastating wildfires tore through southern Cyprus, killing two and leaving dozens injured.
Authorities launched a chase but failed to apprehend the individual, who vanished into the dense forest.
A concerned citizen captured the man on video, which has now been handed over to investigators. The timing of the sighting — amid fears of arson — has sparked fresh concern across the region.
The incident comes as Cyprus reels from one of its most catastrophic wildfires in over 50 years.
The blaze, which erupted midday Wednesday near the village of Malia, scorched over 120 square kilometers of land in the wine-producing hills north of Limassol.
- Two elderly residents were found dead in their car, overtaken by flames as they tried to flee.
- More than 250 firefighters and 14 aircraft from Spain, Jordan, Israel, and the UK battled the inferno.
- 32 homes destroyed, 53 damaged, and 400 power poles reduced to ash.
- Historic chapels, including Ayios Ioannis Rossos and Ayios Silouanos, were gutted.
- Ancient monuments like the Kissousa watermill and Potamiou’s medieval bridge suffered extensive damage.
The fire is believed to have started from two ignition points under a bridge near a rubbish dump, and police are investigating suspected arson.
With temperatures soaring to 44°C, Cyprus remains under a red alert.
Villages including Souni, Vouni, Lofou, Alassa, and Omodos were evacuated, and emergency shelters have been overwhelmed. The Orthodox Church and local municipalities have stepped in to provide food, shelter, and aid.