The Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 22nd January 2025
by Mike Evans
A very good day to you from the Algarve where the winter rains are happening and we hope the reservoirs are filling up. THis follows the announcement that December in our region was the driest month on record, with Portugal experiencing rainfall that was “just 12% of the average value” recorded in the period between 1981 and 2010, revealed a source from the Portuguese Environment Agency ( APA ).
In the Algarve, one of the regions of the country where the effects of the drought have been most felt and where restrictions on water consumption have already been applied, the six main reservoirs “accumulate 151 cubic hectometres of stored water, corresponding to 34% of the total capacity”, a figure that, even so, reflects an “increase of 39 cubic hectometres compared to the same period last year”.
“Despite this increase, the windward [west] and the Arade basin remain in extreme hydrological drought,” warned the APA source, clarifying that the leeward is “in severe hydrological drought.”
With an additional 39 cubic hectometres stored in dams in December, compared to the same month in 2023, the Algarve is in a “better” situation and has “water reserves for a year of urban consumption”, in the event that no more rain is recorded by then, assured the APA source. With more rain forecasted we hopefully will be in a better position compared to last year when the summer arrives.
Now a look at some of the stories from around the region in the past couple of weeks.
Albufeira Inaugurates New Video Cameras in some Areas
Albufeira inaugurated this Monday, January 20, a video surveillance system with 65 cameras, installed in places with the highest influx of people and traffic, and which will be operated by the National Republican Guard ( GNR ).
“This is a system that will monitor areas with the highest traffic flow and concentration of people, namely the so-called bar street, in order to dissuade and combat crime,” the mayor of Albufeira, José Carlos Rolo , told journalists .
According to José Carlos Rolo, the video surveillance, which came into operation on December 30, 2024, “aims to help security authorities in preventing and fighting crime”, in a city that has been identified as having one of the highest crime rates ‘per capita’ in the country.
The mayor assured, however, that Albufeira “is a safe municipality” and contested the analysis of the figures made by the National Statistics Institute (INE), “by presenting true figures, in global terms, but which should not be calculated by the 44 thousand inhabitants of the municipality”. “Albufeira, being one of the largest tourist municipalities in the country, has around 500,000 people during the summer and these people do not appear in the statistics”, he lamented.
Although refuting “the idea that the municipality is unsafe as has been reported”, the mayor considered that video surveillance “will give a greater perception of security to residents and tourists”.
The cameras are installed in areas previously selected jointly by the GNR and the local authority, considered strategic locations and “of greatest concern”, allowing real-time monitoring of nightlife areas, the historic center and access to the city.
“These are areas with a history of problems and that deserve greater attention”, said the commander of the GNR detachment in Albufeira, Marco Henriques.
According to Marco Henriques, the system “is not intended to replace the guards”, but is “a very important tool to support and complement the prevention and investigation work of the various criminal police bodies”.
Video surveillance represented an investment of around 900 thousand euros, and is a system equipped with modern technology, which includes analytical and research tools, definition of alerts and capture of images in all directions, with great range and resolution.
“The entire operation is guaranteed by the GNR and only a few soldiers with specific training will have access to the system installed in two viewing rooms, one in Albufeira and the other at the Territorial Command in Faro”, he highlighted. Marco Henriques also said that crime in Albufeira “has been decreasing over time, “despite some statistics being based solely on the number of inhabitants, which distorts the data”.
“We believe that with new technology we can do more in preventing and investigating crimes and with greater reliability,” he stressed. The commander of the GNR detachment in Albufeira also added that, “in a second phase, the monitoring area may be extended to other areas of the municipality”.
Loulé Man Accused of Sexually Abusing his Partner’s Niece
A 46-year-old man has been charged with multiple crimes of sexual abuse of a child and a dependent minor by the Public Prosecutor of the Department of Investigation and Criminal Action of Loulé, it has been announced.
The Regional Attorney General’s Office of Évora announced this Monday, in a statement, that the indictment in this case was made on January 12, with the facts having occurred between 2019 and 2021 in a residence located in the municipality of Loulé.
According to the prosecution, the defendant had sexual relations with a minor, who was 13 years old at the time the incident began and who was his partner’s niece.
“Every Saturday the victim slept on a sofa in the living room, at which time the defendant, taking advantage of his partner’s sleep, carried out his libidinous designs”, reports the note from the Regional Attorney General’s Office of Évora.
The investigation began with the participation of the Child and Youth Protection Commission and was led by the Judicial Police, he concludes.
Body of Woman Recovered From Vila do Bispo Cliffs
The body of the 34-year-old woman, of Ukrainian nationality, who fell from a cliff late Saturday afternoon (18th), next to the Torre de Aspa, in the municipality of Vila do Bispo, was rescued on Sunday afternoon (19th), the National Maritime Authority (AMN) announced. Following the rescue operations, coordinated by the Port Captain and local commander of the Lagos Maritime Police , elements of the Lagos Maritime Police Local Command were involved, as well as the wide-angle team of the Vila do Bispo Volunteer Firefighters and an aircraft from the Portuguese Air Force (FAP), supported by a Civil Protection drone, according to a press release from AMN.
After several attempts by air, using the FAP aircraft, members of the firefighters’ wide-angle team proceeded to rescue the victim.
“The Health delegate declared the death at the scene and, after contacting the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the body was transported by firefighters to the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences in Portimão”, he details.
The Maritime Police and INEM Psychology Offices were activated and are providing support to the victim’s family. The local command of the Lagos Maritime Police took charge of the incident.
Counterfeit Goods Seized in 2 Raids by GNR in Monte Gordo and Fuseta
The GNR seized around 100 articles and identified two men on suspicion of counterfeiting, on Sunday (12th), in Monte Gordo, in the municipality of Vila Real de Santo António, announced that security force. Among the items seized were clothing , toys and backpacks, which were on display for sale in a commercial establishment in the seaside resort of the eastern Algarve, the GNR said in a statement.
The men identified were 43 and 48 years old and the facts were reported to the Vila Real de Santo António Judicial Court, concluded the security force. In another raid in Fuseta, the GNR has named a man as a defendant for counterfeiting and seized counterfeit material during an inspection carried out in the town of Fuseta, in the municipality of Olhão, the police force announced.
According to the GNR, a 35-year-old man was charged with counterfeiting and counterfeit material was seized, clarifying that the inspection in question aimed to combat counterfeiting, the illegal use of brands and the sale of counterfeit items. Among the seized material, detected on a stall where various products were displayed for sale, articles of “well-known brands, which showed signs of counterfeiting” were found, explained the GNR, quantifying “100 counterfeit articles, namely, clothing and sports footwear”.
The GNR also stated that the man was named as a defendant and the facts were reported to the Olhão Judicial Court.
Maritime Police seize 360 kilos of drugs on the Algarve coast
On the 10th, the Portimão Maritime Police seized 360 kilos of hashish on the Algarve coast, after detecting the narcotic product at sea, the National Maritime Authority ( AMN ) announced. “A total of 360 kg of hashish were seized by members of the Local Command of the Portimão Maritime Police, who took charge of the incident, and were later handed over to the Judicial Police (PJ),” explained that police force in a statement.
The Local Command of the Portimão Maritime Police detected the narcotic product following daily surveillance and patrol actions along the coastline, in its area of jurisdiction, AMN also detailed.
On the 9th, the AMN had announced the seizure, throughout the week, in the areas under the jurisdiction of the local commands of Faro and Portimão, of 201 kilos of hashish, on the sand of the beaches and in the sea.
In another statement released, AMN said that the local command of the Lagos Maritime Police intercepted and seized on Thursday a High Speed Vessel (EAV) that was adrift approximately 5.5 nautical miles (approximately 10.2 kilometers) southwest of Ponta da Piedade, in the municipality of Lagos .
The alert was given by a fisherman, regarding a drifting vessel. At the scene, the “Maritime Police officers found that there were no crew members on board nor any narcotics”, and the Maritime Police “accompanied the EAV to a location on land”.
Finally! New Bridge is Inaugurated after 17 Years of Waiting!
Seventeen years after it was first announced, the new two-lane bridge to Faro Island was finally inaugurated on Sunday (January 12).
Marking a new era for the local island community, the bridge’s inauguration was attended by Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, who presided over the ribbon-cutting ceremony alongside outgoing Faro mayor Rogério Bacalhau.
The new bridge is seen as a vital upgrade for Faro Island (known in Portuguese as Praia de Faro or Ilha de Faro), previously served by a single one-lane bridge which would often bring traffic in and out of the island to a standstill – particularly during the summer.
“Today is a very happy day,” declared Rogério Bacalhau at the ceremony, celebrating the end of a nearly two-decade project which suffered countless setbacks over the years. “This is an emblematic project for our municipality,” he said, adding that the local community, particularly the people of Faro Island, had been patiently waiting for its completion for a long time.
The project’s journey began in 2008 under the auspices of Sociedade Polis Ria Formosa, aiming to replace the aging bridge, which was originally built seven decades ago.
However, the project hit a major roadblock when the first two tender processes to award the construction contract failed. In 2017, the initial tender, with a base value of less than €3 million, did not attract any bidders. Success only came with the third tender, but by then, the cost had significantly increased. Initially set at around €5 million, the contract’s value rose to €6.5 million after an early revision. Subsequent adjustments to meet environmental requirements and adapt the structure further escalated the cost to over €8 million. These revisions addressed the complex environmental conditions of the Ria Formosa estuary and ensured compliance with safety and sustainability standards, the mayor explained.
The project’s management also shifted following the dissolution of Sociedade Polis Ria Formosa, which saw the responsibility for the bridge’s completion transferred to the municipal council of Faro.
The final cost of the bridge was highlighted by Rogério Bacalhau, who described it as a “particularly impressive sum,” especially considering the council’s delicate financial situation up until a few years ago. “This was a very complex project, surely the most complex carried out this century in the Algarve,” the mayor said, stressing how it was built in the protected estuary of Ria Formosa, which he said is “surely one of, if not the biggest treasure we have in our territory.”
The new bridge, spanning 180 meters and nearly 11 metres wide, features two lanes for vehicular traffic, a pedestrian path, and a combined pedestrian-cyclist lane. While it will significantly improve the flow of traffic in and out of the island, the new bridge will also allow heavy emergency vehicles to access the island, which was previously impossible as heavy vehicles weren’t allowed on the old bridge. The new pedestrian-cyclist lane will also make access to the island “much safer” for the “growing number of people who choose to visit the island on foot or on a bicycle”, Bacalhau stated.
Despite some unfinished details, like the installation of LED lighting that is still underway, the new bridge opened immediately to traffic after the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Until the next time Stay Safe
After almost 14 years of fighting against tolls on the A22, the existing gantries between Vila Real de Santo António and Lagos were shut down on 1 January, with their removal being “the next battle”. In recent years, this issue has sparked heated debates and revealed different social, economic and environmental perspectives. This decision, supported by residents and local organisations, has profound implications, both positive and negative. From the very first day – 8 December 2011 – the introduction of tolls on the A22 motorway was the subject of protests from locals, local authorities, companies and political parties, and also sparked several parliamentary debates.
As part of the implementation of the Municipal Automatic External Defibrillation Program (PMDAE), which has 24 AED devices in the municipality, 11 of which are in booths on public roads, the municipality of Lagos , through the Civil Protection and Forest Defense Service, offers a Basic Life Support and Automatic External Defibrillation course .
“The proposal is to offer an educational and fun environment where participants learn to: adapt to the aquatic environment; practice safety at sea; prevent drowning; and act effectively in risky situations”, highlights Red Seagull in a statement. Participation is free, but requires prior registration via the online form . For more information, Red Seagull provides contact number 932178808.
On Friday, the GNR seized thousands of litres of fuel and arrested two men aged 24 and 35, and charged a third man, aged 44, with aiding drug trafficking in Santa Luzia, Tavira.
In a second phase of the study, in 2025, a pilot project will be implemented to optimize waste management, such as dedicated collection circuits, through the involvement of regional partner entities, such as Algar, responsible for the selective collection of waste at ecopoints, the Algarve Intermunicipal Community (AMAL), tour operators, hotels and restaurants.
The municipality of Faro celebrates International Volunteer Day on December 5th by holding the 1st Municipal Volunteer Meeting. The event will take place at the University of Algarve (Penha Campus), Pedagogical Complex – Amphitheatre 1.5, between 9am and 5pm.
The objective of the campaign is “to warn drivers about the risks of driving at high speed, considering that this is one of the main causes of accidents on the roads and is responsible for around 60% of registered infractions”.. These entities highlight, in this regard, that “the probability of fatalities increases depending on the speed at which vehicles travel”.