Authorities in Cyprus on Friday ordered the suspension of outdoor work and urged the public to avoid open-air activities, as high concentrations of dust swept across the island.

The Department of Labor Inspection announced early on Friday that all outdoor work and activities must be stopped and rescheduled due to elevated dust levels. According to measurements from ground stations of the Air Quality Monitoring Network, concentrations of particulate matter (PM10) have exceeded 200 micrograms per cubic metre.

The department said the decision was taken under the provisions of the 2022 Safety and Health at Work (Code of Practice for the Protection of Persons at Work during Dust Episodes) Decree. It stressed that outdoor operations should only resume once the phenomenon subsides.

Officials added that they will continue monitoring airborne particle concentrations and will issue a new announcement when levels return to normal.

Separately, the Cyprus Football Association also recommended the suspension of outdoor activities due to the dust.

In a statement, the association said dust levels on Friday, April 3, were multiple times above permissible limits. Adopting relevant guidelines from the Cyprus Sports Organization, it advised halting outdoor activities until conditions improve.

Source: CNA