Hikers rescued from rising waters in Avakas gorge

On Wednesday, the Cyprus Fire Service rescued 31 hikers trapped by rising water in the Avakas gorge in the Paphos district. The first rescue operation occurred at 1:13 p.m. when 26 people were stranded and subsequently brought to safety by the Peyia fire station using ropes and life jackets. A second incident was reported at 4:20 p.m. involving five additional hikers. Three of these individuals were rescued by emergency responders, while the remaining two managed to exit the gorge from a different location without assistance. All 31 hikers were reported to be safe and unharmed. Discrepancies exist in the reports regarding the date of the hike, with some local outlets erroneously stating it occurred on Sunday, while official fire brigade reports confirm the incidents took place on Wednesday. Between 6 a.m. Wednesday and 6 a.m. Thursday, the fire brigade responded to 26 total calls, including fires and weather-related incidents.