More than 500 dangerous buildings have been identified across the city and district of Larnaca, raising serious concerns about public safety and prompting renewed calls for urgent legislative and administrative action following the recent collapse of an apartment block in Limassol.
Angelos Hadjicharalambous, President of the Larnaca District Local Government Organisation (EOA), told CNA that the number of unsafe structures exceeds 500 and includes buildings in the Agios Ioannis area, the Turkish Cypriot quarter, other neighbourhoods of Larnaca, Lefkara and surrounding communities. Many of the buildings are listed properties, which places them under the responsibility of the Interior Ministry’s Town Planning Department rather than the EOA.
Limited resources to do the job
Under current legislation, EOAs assumed responsibility for managing dangerous structures from 1 April 2025. However, Hadjicharalambous said this transfer of duties took place without the necessary organisational structure or resources. “We have essentially relied on existing financial and human resources to take on these additional responsibilities,” he said.
He explained that the EOA has begun consultations with local municipalities and the District Administration, which previously handled such cases, and has carried out an initial mapping of hazardous buildings. The next step, he said, is to prioritise those posing an immediate threat, issue warnings to owners, and proceed with demolitions where necessary.
“These buildings have been dangerous for years. This is not a recent phenomenon,” Hadjicharalambous said, noting that decades of inaction by previous authorities have allowed the problem to escalate. He warned that resolving the issue will involve significant costs that EOAs must now find a way to cover.
The president of the Larnaca EOA also criticised the lack of flexibility in the existing legal framework, describing procedures as slow and cumbersome. He said EOAs have proposed legislative amendments to speed up processes, including a system similar to that used for neglected plots, where authorities intervene and bill owners if they fail to act.
Focus on saving lives
The issue has gained national attention following last Saturday’s collapse of an apartment building in Germasogeia, Limassol, which killed two people and injured three. Amathounta Mayor Kyriakos Xydias said the focus must shift from assigning blame to preventing further loss of life.
“We need to recognise the causes of the problem and focus on saving potential victims,” Xydias told CNA, calling for stronger legislative, financial and administrative support for EOAs. He said the owners of the collapsed building had received their first warning as far back as 2017, while nine apartment blocks in the area had been classified as dangerous prior to local government reform.
Xydias argued that current legislation offers tools but requires lengthy, costly procedures that undermine enforcement. He identified two main factors: ageing buildings constructed 50-60 years ago with sea sand, and owners who ignore warnings because they fear no real consequences and prioritise rental income, often housing migrants in unsafe structures.
Among the measures he proposed are the creation of a mandatory register of apartment buildings, regular inspections, immediate criminal liability for owners who fail to evacuate dangerous buildings, and the power for EOAs to cut electricity and water supplies without lengthy court proceedings.
Xydias also called for an investigation into whether unauthorised renovations may have contributed to the Germasogeia collapse, and pointed to stricter practices abroad, noting that in Germany owners can be arrested if dangerous buildings are not promptly evacuated.
Both officials warned that without swift reforms and decisive enforcement, similar tragedies are likely to recur.
Source: CNA