The Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 5th October 2022
by Mike Evans
Good Morning, As we start to see the sprouts of Autumn weather here in the Algarve we are still seeing some rural fires around the country, and with many looking to burn rubbish that has accumulated over the summer it is very important that we follow the regulations concerning burning of waste in the countryside. Make sure you register any burn with the local camara or GNR beforehand and wait to receive a text message to confirm that it is ok to burn your summer garden waste.
Also with temperatures in the high 20’s for the rest of this week and into next week there will be many who will be taking advantage of the weather to visit the beach and even swim in the sea. Please remember the sea is still a lot cooler than a swimming pool even after the hot summer we have had and it is vitally important if you are on a beach without lifeguards to watch out for your fellow beach goers and be vigilant to what is happening in the sea. Each week we see of people getting into difficulties either through rip currents or fatigue and the death toll this year across the country has been a record high for drownings.
In other news around the region this last week-
60 year old man suffers heart attack on Albufeira Beach
A man, aged about 60, of British nationality, was helped on Monday afternoon after feeling unwell on the sand, going into cardiac arrest, on Peneco beach, in Albufeira.
After an alert was received at 12:00, elements of the Maritime Police Station of Albufeira and of the “SeaWatch” Project were immediately activated, as well as elements of the Volunteer Firefighters of Albufeira and INEM.
The victim, of British nationality, “was promptly assisted at the scene by the lifeguards on duty on the beach and by the Albufeira Volunteer Firefighters, who began the resuscitation manoeuvres until the arrival of INEM elements who continued the manoeuvres, in collaboration with elements of the ‘SeaWatch’ Project”, says the National Maritime Authority in a statement.
After several attempts at resuscitation, it was possible to reverse the situation of the victim who was later transported by the Volunteer Firefighters of Albufeira to a hospital unit.
Cyclist dies after being hit by a goods vehicle on the straight between Boliqueime and the A22
A cyclist died after being hit by a goods vehicle this Tuesday morning, on the straight between Boliqueime and Via do Infante (A22), in the municipality of Loulé. The District Command of Relief Operations (CDOS) of Faro announced that the alert was given at 6:57 for an accident on Estrada Nacional 270.
The victim, a 60-year-old Portuguese man, could not resist the injuries and the death was declared on the spot by the doctor of the emergency and resuscitation vehicle at Faro Hospital.
Body Found in River Identified as Missing Woman
Police have confirmed that the body found in the River Gilao near Tavira was that of Tania Fernandes who went missing over a week ago. Tânia Fernandes’ car had been found with documents, money and her cell phone the day after her disappearance, last Sunday night.
At the time of her disappearance, on the night of Saturday, September 24th, “the cell location was immediately requested” of her cell phone, which was eventually found, the next day, next to the church of Cabanas de Tavira, although the device was not with her. At this stage, the authorities discard suspicions of crime, but only after the autopsy will the causes of death be determined. An official source has already confirmed to the authorities that the body found is that of Tânia Fernandes.
The body of the 33-year-old woman was transported to the Instituto Médico Legal de Faro. Tânia Fernandes, born in Altura, in the municipality of Castro Marim, suffered from a bipolar disorder. Tânia and her husband lived in Cabanas de Tavira. They had been married for 4 months and together for 4 and a half years.
Catalyst theft suspect in VRSA is in preventive detention
A man suspected of trying to steal a catalyst and who had been detained by the GNR last Saturday in Vila Real de Santo António will await trial in preventive detention.
The man was part of a group of three people, aged between 42 and 45, all of whom were “referenced for this type of criminal offences”, said the GNR’s Faro Territorial Command in a statement.
The other two detainees, including a woman, were heard in the first judicial interrogation at the Vila Real de Santo António court, having been given a term of identity and residence, the least serious measure of coercion. Following the police action, a cordless angle grinder, nine cutting discs and two pairs of protective eyewear were seized.
Authorities Monitor Cell Phone Use While Driving
The inspection of mobile phone use while driving will intensify this week with a campaign promoted by the National Road Safety Authority (ANSR), the National Republican Guard (GNR) and the Public Security Police (PSP).
Called “At the wheel, the cell phone can wait”, the initiative starts this Monday and runs until the 10th, as part of the 2022 National Inspection Plan, according to a joint statement from the three entities. In addition to inspection, the campaign also aims to make drivers aware of the potentially fatal risks of improperly using mobile phones while driving.
Noting that the probability of having an accident while using the cell phone is four times greater, due to the increase in the reaction time of drivers, the authorities also leave an alert with the numbers of 2021: “In 2021, 24,306 violations related to handling were detected. mobile phone while driving, which represents an increase of 5.5% compared to the previous year. It is urgent to stop this behaviour”. The authorities also stress that “the use of electronic devices while driving causes difficulty in the interpretation of signs and disrespect of the rules for granting passage”, putting pedestrians at particular risk.
ANSR will carry out actions to raise awareness of drivers throughout the national territory, while PSP and GNR will be present with inspection operations on roads and accesses with high road traffic.
Faro City Council Reopens Municipal Swimming Pools
The Municipality of Faro on Monday, October 3, reopened the municipal swimming pools , after two months closed to save water and face the drought that affects the region, announced the Algarve municipality.
The closure of municipal swimming pools in July and August had been adopted by the 16 municipalities in the region, as part of the measures to combat drought applied by the Intermunicipal Community of the Algarve (AMAL), but now the Municipality of Faro decides to reopen its equipment, although a “fault in the process of being resolved” prevents the use of showers, the municipality underlined in a statement.
“Users will have new and better conditions with the installation of new equipment, namely Jacuzzi, sauna and Turkish bath, which will complement the services provided. Its installation was carried out during the period of the pandemic, with the aim of providing the municipal swimming pools of Faro with a wider range of activities ”, also announced by the Algarve municipality.
The same source considered that the “breakdown” on the basis of the impediment to the use of showers could be “solved shortly”, but warned that the work is “dependent” on the “limitations and deadlines imposed by the Public Procurement Law and by the contingencies resulting from the international situation” that “make it difficult to acquire materials and equipment”.
The Câmara de Faro joins the Câmara de São Brás de Alportel, which also announced the reopening of covered municipal swimming pools in October, but at the same time implementing measures to reuse water to avoid spending in periods of extreme drought.
The reopening of the swimming pools in São Brás de Alportel also takes place this Monday and “regular activities will be carried out with a view to promoting the health and well-being of the community”, said the municipality.
The same source stressed on that occasion that these activities will be accompanied by an “intensification of user awareness of the need for efficient water use and water reuse measures in a period of extreme drought in the district”.
The municipalities of the Algarve had announced on 3 September that they would keep the pools closed during the month of September to preserve water resources, reduced by the drought that hits the region.
The decision adopted in September within AMAL extended the measures to combat drought adopted by the municipalities in the region on July 15, which included the closure of public municipal swimming pools in August, the stop of ornamental fountains, the reduction of irrigation days, the interruption of irrigation of grassed public green spaces or their conversion to native species with lower water requirements.
The Algarve, like much of Portugal, is going through a period of prolonged drought and the president of AMAL, António Miguel Pina, has already warned of the difficulties that the lack of water can cause in the district if rainfall levels do not improve next year.
“If the next hydrological year is the same, water may even run out of taps in the Algarve, in October 2023”, then warned the mayor of Olhão.
And finally, whilst not on the same scale as Hurricane Ian, a mini Tornado hit Monte Gordo, in the municipality of Vila Real de Santo António on the 29th September causing a slight injury to a Spanish tourist.
The meteorological phenomenon caused the destruction of a giant tent prepared for an international fancier event, the Algarve Golden Race, which runs from Thursday to Sunday, in addition to damage to several vehicles.
According to one of the participants, the small tornado took place in a few seconds during the basketing work, also causing empty pigeon carriers to fly. After the destruction scenario, all participants and organisation helped the authorities in cleaning up the wreckage and the basketing work was transferred to another location.
The Volunteer Firefighters of Vila Real de Santo António, the Public Security Police and INEM were at the scene.
Have a safe week.
Mike Evans