How to change the shape of the island of Cyprus in one easy lesson….

Or, how not to store live ammunition!

JUST HOW LUCKY WAS LIMASSOL?

Check out the image below and see how the 90+ containers holding the ammunition were stored. Remember, they’ve been there since February 2009 with our summer temperatures reaching a blistering 34c+ for 6 – 8 weeks every summer. 😦

More funerals held today in Cyprus – 14th July 2011

Funerals of the twins Miltos and Christos Christoforou (aged 19 years) in Limassol.

 

 

Update 13th July 2011

19-year-old Antonis Charalambous who was fighting for his life in Nicosia General Hospital after the deadly explosion on July 11th, has been pronounced brain dead, said authorities. Read more here.

How the containers were stored holding live ammunition. 90+ containers!

See what’s being said in the Cyprus Mail online newspaper regarding pleas from the National Guard Navy Chief, Andreas Ioannides who was killed yesterday to have the ammunition removed. The people are very angry….

UPDATE 16:37 Cyprus local time 11th July 2011.

Video footage from BBC NEWS UK website.

Most places now have power but we’re advised to conserve both power and water (due to the desalination plant being taken down to save power or due to damage, we’re not quite certain). Looking at the images we’re seeing on the news it could be quite sometime before normality is restored. Not really what we need to hear as we’re just approaching the hottest 6 weeks of the year.  July and August are notoriously hot and humid.

At work today, we’ve had power but have been unable to run any air-condition units so it’s been very very warm in the offices and this is only the start of the humidity levels….. 😦

Our thoughts go out to those families who have suffered losses and to those who have been injured.

Below is the list of those who were killed in the explosion. May they Rest In Peace:

* Captain Andreas Ioannides, Commander of the Navy (National Guard General Staff)

* Commander Lambros Lambrou, Commander of the Naval Base

* Warrant Officer Kleanthis Kleanthous, Non Commissioned Officer in the Naval Command

* Petty Officer Michalis Irakleous, Non Commissioned Officer in the Naval Command Base

* Sailor (National Guard) Miltiades Christoforou, of the Administration of the Naval Base

* Sailor (National Guard) Christakis Christoforou, of the Administration of the Naval Base

* Sergeant of the Fire Department 3591 Andreas Papadopoulos

* Fireman 74 Vassilis Krokos

* Fireman 2446 Spyros Ttantis

* Fireman 3520 Panayiotis Theofilou

* Chief fireman 3311 Georgos Yiakoumi

* Fireman 4829 Adamos Adamou

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The island “rocked” to the sound of an explosion in the early hours of this morning.

Cypriots in the village of Pyrgos fled their houses with guns thinking it was another invasion following the massive explosion at the nearby naval base.

Almost all of the island is still without power as I write this. We in the West of the island did suffer a power cut but came back on a couple of hours later.

Read more: Massive explosions rock Cyprus navy base-witnesses | Reuters.