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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Helena Smith in Athens

Cyprus appeals to residents to cut water use by two minutes a day amid drought

Aerial view of a near-dry reservoir which looks like a brown valley with small pools of water leading up to a lake; there are former paths and roads around a small white church with a tall tower.
Water levels in the Kouris reservoir have fallen so low the once-submerged St Nicholas church (seen here in August 2025) is visible. Photograph: Yiannis Kourtoglou/Reuters

Authorities in Cyprus have urged residents to reduce their water intake by 10% – the equivalent of two minutes’ use of running water each day – as Europe’s most south-easterly nation grapples with a once-in-a century drought.

The appeal, announced alongside a €31m (£27m) package of emergency measures, comes as reservoirs hit record lows with little prospect of replenishment before the tourist season starts.

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