Monks report urgent landslide threat in Pyrga, Larnaca

Monks from the Stavrovouni Monastery have issued an urgent warning regarding a major active landslide on the Evkali mountain in the community of Pyrga, Larnaca. In an official letter sent on October 14, 2026, to the Director of the Department of Town Planning and Housing, Kyriakos Koundouros, the clergy highlighted severe safety risks originating from both an active quarry and the terrain located north of it, where the monastery's dependency (metochi) is situated.

The monks reported that the retreat building has developed a visible tilt, while ground cracks continue to expand, with one reaching 1.20 meters in width and 4.30 meters in depth. They previously alerted the President of the Republic to these conditions on September 25. The monastery is urging authorities to intervene, citing a precedent from a decade ago in Mamonia, Paphos, where a quarry was shut down before its depletion due to similar ground instability issues that threatened public safety.

Currently, the situation remains critical as stakeholders await a formal response and inspection from the Department of Town Planning to address the escalating soil degradation and potential structural collapse.