Several cracks have been spotted across various parts of the medieval Saint Neophytos monastery, on the outskirts of Paphos, following yesterday's 5.3 powerful double jolts, the strongest quakes to hit Cyprus in at least a decade.
Bishop of Hytroi Leontios, the monastery's Abbot, has contacted the Antiquities Department and a number of experts will be visiting the historic cluster of buildings making up the grounds, over the next few days to assess damage and proceed with restoration work.
The Abbot said there were at least two cracks in the monastery's church, a significant religious monument, housing 15th century Byzantine frescoes, part of UNESCO's cultural heritage.
Α paralllel line has formed in the northern nave of the church which is covered in frescoes, while the most serious damage caused by yesterday's tremor is a six metre crack across the aisle and running through outside the main church of the Patriarchal stavropegial monastery (directly accountable to the Ecumenical Patriarchy).
Minor damage was recorded to a listed, protected building of historical significance, located at the heart of the city on Athinon street, while in Kelokedara, the epicentre of the first quake, the roof of an abandoned home collapsed.
There were rock slides outside several district communities, mostly on the provincial road to Tsada. The fire service have taken over the clean up.
The Paphos Local Authority Organisation (EOA) President Charalambos Pittokopitis said there had been no other damages reported, following communication with both fire service and civil defence crews.
Pittokopitis said that following the roof collapse, civil engineers will be contacting the Kelokedara authority as well as Paphos district officials to coordinate for any assistance needed.
He noted that the local authority remains on alert both for possible issues post-quake, as well as flooding problems caused by a storm system that is strongly affecting Paphos over the past 24 hours.
There have been dozens of aftershocks following yesterday's tremor, which according to the Geological Survey Department, phased off around nine in the evening, but continued this morning. A 3'8 was felt by city residents just before seven today, with the epicentre recorded 20km off Paphos at a depth of 16 kilometres.
Speaking on public service radio, Head of the Geological Survey Department Charalambos Hadjigeorgiou urged people not to panic, noting that the situation is been monitored until the seismic activity dies down.
He did admitted however that yesterday's situation 'was unprecedented and of particular concern'.