Evacuation and shelter status in Akrotiri and Limassol

As of March 6, 2026, residents of Akrotiri remain temporarily displaced in three hotels in Limassol, with numbers cited between 140 and 250 individuals. Presidential Commissioner Marios Hartsiotis visited the affected residents to assess their living conditions, confirming that while an initial return was planned, a potential extension of the evacuation order until Monday is under review, aligning with British Base security protocols. Mayor of Kourion, Pantelis Georgiou, noted that recent alarms were preventive, triggered by radars detecting distant airborne objects not heading toward Cyprus. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Interior is preparing a proposal to increase national shelter capacity to 45% of the population. This includes a measure requiring new apartment buildings to dedicate basement space as public shelters, offering a 5% building density bonus as an incentive. The Civil Defense is currently conducting re-inspections of existing shelters following concerns about the adequacy of previous checks. Authorities continue to advise citizens to follow official guidelines and emergency protocols via the SafeCY app rather than crowding streets.