The Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 18th October 2023
by Mike Evans
With the first of the heavy rain hitting the Algarve region this week it is a good time to check that your properties are water tight. With many houses now having gutters, and over the summer the winds may have blown leaves into them causing a blockage, it is probably a good time to check that they are clear so the water has a place to flow away from the house. With the rain comes the issue of slippery road surfaces so make sure a little extra care is given when coming to a sudden stop. The number of accidents on our roads is on the increase and the change in the weather can only mean a further increase so please be careful on the roads. At Sea the conditions are changing as well. The Algarve region and the entire Portuguese coast are under orange warning due to sea unrest and waves from the west measuring 4.5 or 5.5 metres, according to the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA).
Now a look at some of the stories making the news across the region in the last week.
Rain causes flooding in arteries in the centre of Faro
The intense rain recorded early in the morning in the Algarve caused the flooding of some roads, with downtown Faro being the most affected area, revealed a Civil Protection source .
According to the District Relief Operations Command (CDOS) of Faro, a total of 19 incidents were recorded caused by the rain that fell shortly after 8am, “the majority of which are the most significant recorded in the city of Faro”.
“We received alerts about the flooding of some streets in the city centre [of Faro] which affected car and pedestrian traffic, but without any significant material damage being recorded”, specified the same source. The source said that, about an hour later, “around 9 am, the rain stopped, the water was drained through the storm systems and the situation returned to normal”.
The Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) placed the district of Faro under yellow warning, until Thursday, due to the forecast of periods of rain or showers, sometimes heavy, accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds that could reach 100 kilometres/hour in the highlands.
On the other hand, the district is under orange warning, due to sea unrest, where waves are expected from the western quadrant measuring 5 to 5.5 metres, reaching a maximum height of 10 metres.
Mini tornado causes damage in Choça Queimada
A mini tornado that occurred on the morning of Tuesday, October 17th, caused damage in Choça Queimada, in the municipality of Castro Marim , according to Arenilha TV.
The meteorological phenomenon was accompanied by heavy rain and winds for a few minutes, destroying the roof of a house, the tiles of which were later removed by firefighters.
The locality of the parish of Odeleite also suffered other damage, such as the destruction of trees. There were a dozen operatives from the Vila Real de Santo António and Castro Marim Fire Department, the Municipal Civil Protection Service and the National Republican Guard, accompanied by five vehicles.
Algarve under orange warning due to sea unrest
The Algarve region and the entire Portuguese coast are under orange warning due to sea unrest and waves from the west measuring 4.5 or 5.5 metres, according to the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA).
The districts of Viana do Castelo, Braga and Vila Real will be under yellow warning today due to the forecast of rain, sometimes heavy and accompanied by thunderstorms.
These three districts will be under warning between 12:00 and 18:00 today and then between 00:00 on Tuesday and 00:00 on Wednesday. IPMA also issued an orange warning for the entire Portuguese coast due to sea unrest and yellow for 14 districts due to rain, which could be heavy and accompanied by thunderstorms.
The bad weather forecast for the next few days led the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC) to issue a warning to the population on Sunday, warning of the possibility of urban flooding, floods and landslides.
In the notice, ANEPC calls for the “adoption of appropriate behaviour” to prevent consequences of bad weather, namely unblocking water drainage systems, fixing loose structures”.
He also asked for care when driving near trees, due to the possibility of falling branches due to the wind, avoiding driving near the coastline and riverside areas, not carrying out activities related to the sea, adopting defensive driving and not crossing flooded areas.
In a note released today, IPMA indicates that the districts of Viana do Castelo, Braga, Porto, Aveiro, Coimbra, Leiria, Setúbal, Beja and Faro will be under orange warning due to the forecast of west waves with 4.5 to 5, 5 metres, with a maximum height of 9 metres between 06:00 and 21:00 on Tuesday.
These districts will then go on yellow warning between 9pm on Tuesday and 3am on Wednesday.
With regard to rain, the IPMA issued it for the districts of Porto, Aveiro, Viseu, Coimbra, Leiria, Bragança, Guarda, Castelo Branco, Leiria, Lisbon and Santarém between 00:00 and 15:00 on Tuesday .
The 14 districts and Setúbal will also be under yellow warning between 00:00 and 18:00 on Tuesday due to the forecast of strong winds from the southern quadrant, with gusts of up to 75 kilometres per hour, with up to 100 kilometres per hour. time in the highlands. The orange warning indicates a meteorological situation of moderate to high risk and the yellow warning is issued by IPMA whenever there is a risk situation for certain activities depending on the meteorological situation.
Man helped on Monte Gordo beach after feeling unwell
A 61-year-old man was helped during the afternoon of Thursday, October 12th, after feeling unwell with chest pains on Monte Gordo beach , in the municipality of Vila Real de Santo António , announced the National Maritime Authority .
The alert was given at 4:30 pm by the victim himself and elements of the “SeaWatch” project and INEM were immediately activated on site.
The victim was promptly assisted upon arrival at the scene and was subsequently transported, via Amarok vehicle, to the INEM ambulance and to a hospital unit. The local Command of the Maritime Police of Vila Real de Santo António took charge of the incident.
PSP arrests three suspects for the crime of domestic violence
The District Command of the PSP of Faro arrested, in recent days, three suspects of the crime of domestic violence, with two of them having been applied to the most serious measure of coercion (preventive detention), reported this Friday (13th) that police force.
Two of the suspects were detained in Portimão , following “reports of domestic violence” presented to the Police Division of that city, which, given “its seriousness and pressing need for measures to safeguard the victims’ safety, gave rise to the development of very rapid measures of evidence collection by the Portimão Criminal Investigation Squadron”, can be read in a statement. The Portimão Public Prosecutor’s Office issued arrest warrants with a view to applying coercive measures to the suspects.
During the morning of this Thursday, the suspects, aged 33 and 51, were located, detained and present in court, with one of them being subject to a preventive detention measure and to the other a measure prohibiting contact and approaching the victim, supported by electronic control”, details the note.
The third detainee mentioned above, “resulted from an investigation carried out by the Criminal Investigation Brigade of the Olhão Police Station, and the suspect, aged 36 and with a history of drug use, had been recording repeated episodes of increasingly violent actions to with the victim, so for their protection, it was urgent to apply more effective coercive measures”, the note continues. Based on the evidence already collected, the Public Prosecutor’s Office decided to “issue an arrest warrant targeting the suspect”, which was carried out on Wednesday, the 11th. the “measure of preventive detention coercion”, specifies.
Man’s body found on Armona beach
The body of a 27-year-old man was found this Wednesday morning, October 11th, on Armona -Ria beach, in the municipality of Olhão , announced the National Maritime Authority. The man is of English nationality, but so far the causes behind this occurrence are unknown.
The alert was given at 08:00 by a member of the public who was in the area, and crew members from the Olhão Lifeguard Station, members of the local Command of the Olhão Maritime Police and the Police had to immediately move to the area. The body was in a prone position and showed signs of blood on the head.
Death was declared by the health delegate and the body was later transported to the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences in Faro.
The Olhão Maritime Police Local Command took charge of the incident and the Judiciary Police is investigating the case.
And to close this newsletter, a “good news story” and recognition on a countrywide basis for the Algarve Food Bank. Banco Alimentar do Algarve, has been distinguished in the 11th edition of the MSD Maria José Nogueira Pinto award. The ceremony took place at the Palácio dos Marqueses de Fronteira, in Lisbon, and was attended by Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, President of the Republic, and Manuel Pizarro, Minister of Health.
The fourth largest food bank in the country won with a project that aims to improve the distribution of food to the most needy in the Algarve region. The project, called “E-Integrar”appears within the scope of the Associação Pró-Partilha e Inserção do Algarve, with the purpose of boosting the Algarve Food Bank.
This project will receive €15,000 euros that will be used to build a digital platform for managing and distributing food support, with the aim of meeting the population’s essential needs, without them having to expose themselves. E-Integra allows the food bank to cross-reference all the information of those interested in receiving support, ensuring that the food reaches those who really need it. Furthermore, the project aims to impose greater justice and equity in the distribution of food.
In collaboration with the University of Algarve, the Algarve Health Administration and the Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences of the University of Porto, E-Integrar takes into account the nutritional criteria of foods, in order to prepare healthier baskets .
Nuno Cabrita Alves, president of the BAA, emphasised that this is “a victory that highlights the work of Banco Alimentar do Algarve and highlights its position in the country. It is important to thank all the partners, institutions and volunteers who have always supported Banco Alimentar do Algarve”, he said.
Seasonal work linked to tourism, low wages and rising inflation have led to an increase in requests for help from the Algarve Food Bank. “We count, more than ever, on the support of volunteers to be able to support the thousands of families in need in the Algarve region”, appealed Nuno Cabrita Alves.
At the moment, the Algarve Food Bank helps 22,500 people, a number that exceeds the 15,500 people who were being supported in the pre-covid-19 pandemic period. Our warm congratulations from us all at Safe Communities.