Cyprus Received 150% of Its Monthly Rainfall in November, but the Reservoirs Are Still Empty

After a dry October, Cyprus received 150% of its average monthly rainfall in November. However, the island’s reservoirs remain largely empty, with water levels significantly lower than expected.

Currently, the total volume of water in Cyprus' reservoirs is 74 million cubic meters, which is just 25.5% of their total capacity. This is slightly more than half of the amount recorded at the same time last year, when reservoirs held 135 million cubic meters of water, filling them to 46.5% of capacity.

For example, the Vyzakia Reservoir, located in the Nicosia area, currently holds only 66,000 cubic meters of water, filling just 3.9% of its capacity. At this time last year, it held ten times that amount.

According to Cyprus Mail, citing Yanna Economidou, a representative from the Department of Water Development, the persistently low water levels in the reservoirs are due to the fact that only a small amount of rainfall is reaching them. Most of the precipitation either absorbs into the ground or runs off to other areas.

To significantly raise the water levels in the reservoirs, prolonged and heavy rainfall is needed.

It was also reported that October 2024 became one of the driest months on record in Cyprus. For the first time in 60 years, and the third time in 100 years, meteorologists recorded 0 mm of rainfall in October.