Akrotiri residents reeling as war crashes onto their doorstep

Residents of Akrotiri are still reeling after a night of sirens and evacuation orders brought the region's wider crisis crashing onto their doorstep.

For families living in the shadow of the British base, the latest alarm was more than just another warning. It was a terrifying moment that turned long-standing unease into raw fear, with many forced to abandon their homes in the dark and ask a chilling question: what happens if things get worse?

When the sirens sounded, panic spread fast through the village.

Among those shaken was resident Anthia, who says the first night was filled with fear and confusion. She did not want to leave her home or her beloved dogs behind, but the uncertainty became too much.

"Maybe on the first night there was some panic. Everyone panicked, because at first nobody knew what it was," she said. "Of course we were afraid — that's why we left and went to Limassol that very first night."

Trying to stay calm for her family, she added: "I told my daughter, 'I'm absolutely fine. The little dogs are inside and fine — don't worry at all.'"

By the following day, much of Akrotiri had emptied out. Families fled to hotels, relatives' homes and temporary accommodation, leaving once-busy streets eerily quiet.

For locals, the danger no longer feels distant. Life beside a military facility has always come with noise, aircraft and drills. But this time, the threat felt frighteningly close.

Those who remain are trying to carry on as normal, but the latest scare has also exposed a bigger problem across Cyprus: where people would actually shelter if the crisis escalates.

Attention has now turned to the island's shelter network. Many of the so-called safe spaces are not specially built bunkers, but adapted underground areas such as basements, parking garages and other communal subterranean sites.

Cyprus Civil Defence official Panayiotis Liasidis said: "At the moment, we have around 2,500 shelters, and efforts are underway to increase that number. New spaces have been identified, including large commercial buildings with basements that can accommodate a significant number of people."

Meanwhile, the government says efforts are continuing around the clock to bring home Cypriots trapped in danger zones elsewhere in the region.

For Akrotiri, the past few days have transformed a regional emergency into something immediate, personal and deeply unsettling: sirens in the night, homes suddenly abandoned, and growing anxiety over what comes next.