On Thursday, July 23, 2026, a major traffic disruption occurred on the Nicosia-Limassol motorway near the Dali industrial area. Shortly before 4:30 p.m., a lorry carrying a large quantity of gravel struck the central metal barrier and overturned, scattering its load across both sides of the highway. The crash blocked traffic in both directions, with police diverting vehicles for approximately seven hours while emergency services removed the wreckage and cleared the road.

Traffic towards Nicosia was restored by approximately 8:50 p.m., while the lane towards Limassol remained closed until around midnight due to the severity of the cleanup operations. The incident left thousands of motorists trapped in queues for several hours, drawing criticism regarding the management of the emergency and the lack of communication. In response, the Ministry of Justice, led by Minister Costas Fytiris, announced plans to establish rapid-response teams in every province, comprising police, firefighters, and private contractors, to expedite future clearance operations and improve traffic diversion protocols.