Azores Situation Report Wednesday 12th March 2025

Earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale felt in São Miguel

An earthquake measuring 5.3 (Richter), whose epicentre was located approximately 25 km south-southeast of Faial da Terra, was recorded this Tuesday at 7:14 am at the stations of the Azores Archipelago Seismic Network, according to the IPMA

According to information from IPMA, this earthquake was felt but did not cause personal or material damage and was felt with maximum intensity V (modified Mercalli scale) in the
parishes of Rosto do Cão (São Roque), Agua de Pau, Furnas, Nossa Senhora dos Remédios, Povoação and Ponta Garça.

It was also felt with less intensity in the parishes of Santa Barbara, São Pedro, Vila do Porto, on the island of Santa Maria.

Ponta Delgada/Vila Franca expressway in São Miguel, will have speed sensors

The Ponta Delgada/Vila Franca expressway, in São Miguel, is being equipped with speed sensors and more signage to prevent dangerous maneuvers and speeding, the main reasons for the increase in accidents

According to the Regional Secretariat for Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructure, the regional directorate of Public Works and the company operating the expressway (Euroscut) are evaluating “all possible responses” with a view to creating better road safety and circulation conditions.

Among the measures that are already in place is the placement of a double continuous line on the road with folding pins, vertical signage, on the 2.7 kilometre stretch between the Fischer and Santa Cruz junctions, Lagoa municipality, and the placement of speed sensors, according to the Regional Government.

The measures, according to a note from the executive, aim to “prohibit overtaking and alert drivers to the dangers posed by excessive speed, highlighted by police authorities as being one of the main reasons for the increase in road accidents”.

The expressways granted to Euroscut on the island of São Miguel cover around 90 kilometres and have been the subject of several interventions over the years, in terms of pavements in areas that recorded a concentration of accidents, signage, changes to horizontal paintwork and emergency drills involving tanker trucks (fuel).

According to the Regional Secretariat, solutions were developed to reduce the formation of queues on roads with a high potential for chain collisions and awareness-raising actions aimed at alerting people to the dangers of speeding.

On the other hand, Euroscut has set up “a pilot trial” to reduce chain collisions, which is underway on the Ponta Delgada ring road until the end of March, through mobile panels that warn of the need to pay attention in slow traffic.

The ‘Pilgrims on the Road’ campaign is currently underway, using mobile panels with variable messages and surveillance, so that drivers pay special attention and take precautions on the roads, during the passage of the groups that already travel the roads of São Miguel, fulfilling a Lenten tradition that is over 500 years old.

107 cases of ‘bird strikes’ recorded in 2024

At Ponta Delgada airport alone, 56 incidents were recorded, representing 52.3% of all bird strikes in the Azores. This was followed by Faial (11 incidents) and Terceira (ten incidents).

In 2024, a total of 107 cases of collisions or near-collisions with birds or their ingestion by engines, also known as ‘bird strikes’, were recorded at the nine airports and aerodromes in the Autonomous Region of the Azores, according to data from the National Civil Aviation Authority (ANAC).

At Ponta Delgada airport, on the island of São Miguel, 56 incidents of this kind were recorded, meaning there were more cases of collisions or near collisions with birds or their ingestion by engines at this airport, compared to the other eight airports and aerodromes in the Azores (51 incidents).

In total, it appears that there was an approximate average of five cases of ‘bird strikes’ per month at Ponta Delgada airport.

Between four and eleven occurrences of bird strikes were observed at the remaining eight airports and aerodromes in the Region in 2024.

After Ponta Delgada, which, with its 56 occurrences, represented 52.3% of the total number of bird strikes in the Azores, comes the airports of Faial (11 occurrences), Terceira (ten occurrences), Flores (eight occurrences), Graciosa (seven occurrences), São Jorge (six occurrences), Pico (five occurrences) and Corvo (four occurrences), according to ANAC statistics, relating to the year 2024.

Several cases of bird collisions with aircraft were recorded on the island of São Miguel at the beginning of January.

ANA Aeroportos de Portugal then revealed that João Paulo II Airport, in Ponta Delgada, “has seen an increase in the presence of birds in its vicinity”, one of the phenomena that may have contributed to the two incidents of bird collisions with aircraft recorded in January – which involved a SATA plane and another from Ryanair.

ANA explains that it attributes this increase in the presence of birds “to several natural factors, including migratory patterns, food availability, weather conditions and seasonal variations and limitations in pest control methods”, adding that “environmental factors external to the Airport also play a significant role in these changes”.

 

Azores Situation Report Wednesday March 5 2025

Battle of Limes on Carnival Tuesday in Ponta Delgada brings generations together

Hundreds of people in trucks, or on foot, once again fill the waterfront of the city of Ponta Delgada, in the Azores, today to take part in the traditional Batalha das Limas, a carnival tradition unique to the country, which brings together generations.

This is the case of Pedro Viegas, who has been participating in the battle since 1986 and has never missed “a fight”.

It was the first time with his older brother, who for years organized some trucks that participated in the fight at the Battle of Limas.

“I’ve never missed a year,” he told Lusa, explaining that the tradition has grown “year after year” within the family.

Every year, the Battle of Limas attracts hundreds of people to the city of Ponta Delgada, on the island of São Miguel, for a water fight.

The battle starts at 2:00 pm, implying traffic restrictions on the Ponta Delgada waterfront, and only ends at 7:00 pm.

In recent years, the Ponta Delgada local authority has implemented rules for the Battle of Limas that aim to reduce the environmental impact of the tradition, as well as limiting and protecting the area where the carnival event takes place.

After the battle, and as has been customary over the years, the local authority’s cleaning teams have also been on the ground and the participants in the trucks also help to clean up and separate the waste.

This year, nine teams and 10 trucks will take part in the battle.

To preserve and “maintain this tradition of generations, unique in the world, recycling it for future generations”, the Cultural and Recreational Association of Batalha das Limas was created on the island of São Miguel, a non-profit organization, as stated on the official Facebook page of this movement responsible for organizing the Batalha das Limas.

Fuel prices rise in March in the Azores

The prices of gasoline, diesel and butane gas will rise again in March in the Azores, according to a notice published in the Official Gazette

Gasoline goes up by 3.1 cents per litre, diesel by 2.7 cents per litre and butane gas by 0.3 cents per kilo.

The Azorean executive justifies the adjustment in the maximum retail price with the “recent variations in the international market of reference prices for petroleum and energy products”.

In January and February, fuel prices in the Azores had already risen.

The price of butane gas, which had not increased since July 2021, now has monthly updates, with a new calculation formula.

From March 1st, gasoline will cost 1.58 euros per litre in the Azores, 3.1 cents more than in the previous month, while diesel will cost 1.506 euros per litre (2.7 cents more).

The price of coloured diesel for agriculture and fishing, defined in another order, will also increase by 2.7 cents per litre in March.

Coloured and marked diesel used in agriculture will now cost 1.135 euros per litre, while the price of coloured and marked diesel used in fishing will be set at 0.945 euros per litre.

As for butane gas, the increase in March is 0.3 cents per kilo, in the different types.

Butane gas sold to the public, at the retailer’s establishment, in bottles of 26 liters or more, will now cost 1.895 euros per kilo and that sold in bottles of 24 liters, made of light materials (up to eight kilos of containers), 2.091 euros per kilo.

Piped butane gas costs 1.895 euros per kilo and bulk butane gas costs 1.493 euros per kilo.

The maximum prices of petroleum and energy products in the Azores are “changed on the 1st of each month and in amounts equivalent to the variation in the value of the monthly European Price (PE)”.

In December, the Azorean executive increased the Tax on Petroleum and Energy Products (ISP) by 9.8 cents per liter on gasoline and 5.8 cents per liter on diesel.

ISP is now charged at 59 cents per litre for petrol and 40 cents for diesel.

São Miguel hosts Sustainable Tourism Days in the Lands of Priolo

The Local Technical Team of the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism of Terras do Priolo will organize on Thursday and Friday, in São Miguel, Azores, the 1st Sustainable Tourism Conference of Terras do Priolo, it was announced.

The conferences “are in line with the objectives and actions of the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism of the Priolo Lands 2024-2028 Action Plan”, according to the organization.

The Priolo is a bird species endemic to the Azores and is confined to the eastern part of the island of São Miguel, in the municipalities of Povoação and Nordeste.

The initiative’s program includes a set of guided tours of the territory of the Priolo Lands (municipalities of Nordeste and Povoação) and “will allow businesspeople and tourist guides to discover a different tourist offer in these territories”.

According to the program, on the first day, Thursday, participants in the conferences will take guided tours of the municipality of Nordeste.

On the second day of the proceedings, in the morning, the Forum of the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism of Protected Areas (CETS) of Terras do Priolo will be held, which will include the presentation of the CETS Terras do Priolo Action Plan 2024-2028 and the discussion of relevant topics for the development of sustainable tourism in the territory. In the afternoon, guided tours will be held around the municipality of Povoação.

 

 

Azores Situation Report Wednesday February 26th 2025

Regional Tourism Inspectorate conducted 535 inspection and detection actions and received 446 complaints in 2024

The Regional Tourism Inspectorate (IRTu), under the administration of the Regional Secretariat for Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructures, received 446 complaints last year. These included 37 that fell within the remit of other entities, for which reason they were forwarded to the appropriate department.

According to data now released by IRTu, among the 409 complaints investigated, besides those registered in the complaints book, 27 were received via the electronic complaints book platform and 35 via the respective electronic complaints system ( https://gra.formstack.com/forms/pedido_info ).

The islands with the highest concentration of tourism services and activities register the highest number of complaints, namely São Miguel and Terceira.

Most complaints (65.77%) concern tourist accommodation establishments, with 16% focusing on issues regarding the operation/conservation of facilities/infrastructures and 53% on complaints about the provision of services.

In 2024, there was a very significant increase in the number of complaints received compared to 2023. This increase is in line with the growth in tourism demand and supply.

IRTu conducted 535 inspection and detection actions, covering 216 tourist accommodation establishments and 92 tourist entertainment companies. Among the overall number of actions, 216 were carried out around ​​tourist accommodation (40% of the total).

84 accommodations were found to be illegal, 64 were found to be irregular and 79 detection actions were carried out in places of significant tourist interest. For IRTu, this is a worrying sign as it indicates a considerable number of entities operating without registration/licenses.

IRTu noted that detecting these situations is becoming increasingly difficult due to some “sophistication” in concealing illegal activities.

However, it stressed that most situations detected have resulted in corrective actions/legalization of the situations identified.

In 2024, 148 actions were conducted to detect unregistered/licensed accommodation and registered accommodation in irregular situations, through the analysis of various online booking platforms.

With a view to detecting (land-based) tourism activities and occupations by unregistered companies or professionals, 79 detection actions were carried out in places of major tourist interest, in addition to ports and airports.

One of IRTu’s main goals is to help reduce the parallel and/or unregistered economy, in addition to detecting the supply of unlicensed/registered accommodation and the supply of registered accommodation in irregular situations.

The Regional Secretary for Tourism, Berta Cabral, argued that “the development of regional tourism depends directly on the quality of the experiences offered. These inspections identify and help eliminate inappropriate practices, instilling the best practices and actions desired standards among operators.”

The Regional Tourism Inspectorate has intensified its inspections in the tourist accommodation sector, focusing on inspections of registered local accommodations. It has also identified accommodations operating without the appropriate license or registration and detected irregularities in registered/licensed units, mostly using online monitoring of tourist accommodation booking platforms.

Last year was marked by a significant development of the tourist offer in the Azores, with a significant increase in accommodation available, both in tourist developments and local accommodation units. There was also an increase in tourist entertainment activities.

Simultaneously, the Azores continued to consolidate its position as a tourist destination of choice, with a significant increase in demand. This growth, fueled by the archipelago’s growing reputation, has contributed to a reduction in seasonality.

 

Azores Situation Report Wednesday 19th February 2025 

Thousands of Azoreans illegally living in the State of Massachusetts

Thousands of undocumented Azoreans are currently living in a climate of apprehension in the state of Massachusetts, in the United States. Senator Michael Rodrigues assured that he is monitoring the situation and reinforced his commitment to helping the Azorean community.

“There may be thousands of people in the Azorean diaspora who do not have the necessary documents. But they are good members of society: they work hard, pay their bills, pay taxes and contribute to their communities,” said Senator Michael Rodrigues, elected by the State of Massachusetts, after a meeting with the president of the Regional Government.

According to the Portuguese-born senator, the community between Fall River, New Bedford (Massachusetts) and East Providence (Rhode Island) is currently “very anxious”, as it is “a hard-working community, made up of committed individuals, families and children”, in which, for now, these anti-immigration policies have not yet been felt. Even so, the senator states that both he and the other members of the delegation in the region are aware of the situation, revealing that they “want to do everything in our power to help”, as he stressed yesterday to José Manuel Bolieiro.

Young doctors from the Azores and Madeira remain in the archipelagos for quality of life

Some young doctors from the Azores and Madeira prefer to work in the archipelagos for family reasons and for the “quality of life”, but there are those who opt for other destinations, in the country and abroad, seeking better working conditions.

Man arrested in Ribeira Grande after trying to escape from PSP with stolen vehicle

The PSP arrested, in flagrante delicto, in Ribeira Grande, a man suspected of stealing a vehicle, who tried to flee when approached by officers

The 37-year-old man was arrested on Friday, in the city of Ribeira Grande, during a policing action, after the defendant’s “suspicious behavior” caught the attention of the police, according to a statement from the PSP Regional Command.

“The suspect carried out several evasive maneuvers, with the clear intention of preventing the police from approaching him, and immobilized the vehicle he was driving after a few kilometers, fleeing on foot,” said the PSP, indicating that the man ended up being controlled by the police “a few hundred meters from the vehicle.”

Authorities found that the suspect was driving a vehicle “stolen in the area of ​​the Ribeira Grande police station”.

The suspect was given, by the judicial authority, “a sentence of 8 months in prison, suspended for 1 year and 6 months, in a summary trial, and he is also required to undergo treatment for his drug addiction”, reveals the PSP.