Water flow into the dams this month has made it the best May on record, the Water Development Department said on Thursday.

Up until May 19, some 9.6 million cubic metres flowed into the island’s reservoirs, the data show.

It marks the most inflow for the month of May since the department began keeping detailed records in 1987.

As of May 19, total storage in the dams of the southern conveyor came to 71.2 million cubic metres – or 37.6 per cent of capacity.

The southern conveyor system – which includes Kouris, the island’s largest dam – carries water from the western mountains to agricultural and residential centers, including Nicosia, Larnaca, and Famagusta.

The heavy rains during the spring months have largely reversed the severe drought experienced in Cyprus over the last few years.

The month of March also made history, with the 35.4 million cubic metres of water inflow being the highest of the last 40 years.

Then in April, another 23.6 million cubic metres trickled into the reservoirs – the second best April on record.