The Turkish Cypriot authorities will help their Greek Cypriot neighbors tackle massive electricity shortages caused by an emergency at the island's main power station which was knocked out in an arms blast on Monday, the Greek Cypriot government spokesman said.

The power station at Vassiliko was put out of action on Monday by a fire that broke out at the Evangelos Florakis naval base in southern Cyprus following a powerful explosion at an arms depot, which killed 13 people and injured more than 60.

The Turkish Cypriot power company agreed to supply electricity to the Creek Cypriot side following a request from the Creek Cypriot authorities, Stefanos Stefanou said in a statement issued on Saturday.

The Electricity Authority of Cyprus is expected to receive some 80MW of electricity from Turkish Cypriot neighbors.

Israel has already supplied several electricity generators to the island, and Greece is expected to send several mobile power units in the near future.

The blast at the Evangelos Florakis naval base, which caused what a local official described as a "biblical disaster," occurred in a dump housing arms confiscated from a ship which was heading to Syria from Iran in 2009. There were about 100 containers of arms at the depot.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded the north in response to a military coup on the island backed by Athens. Turkey is the only state that has recognized the breakaway Turkish Cypriot state. Reunification with its richer neighbor is seen as a solution to economic problems of northern Cyprus, which has an annual budget deficit of nearly $1 billion, covered by Turkey.