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Portugal safety and Security Report 20^th November 2024

Good morning everyone. From 16 to 24 November 2024, the European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR) is marked, dedicated this year to combating food waste, with the motto “Food Waste Is Out Of Taste”. The campaign, seeks to raise awareness in the community about the urgency of reducing food waste, addressing its social, economic and environmental impacts.

At European level, one third of the food produced for human consumption is wasted, and in the European Union alone more than 59 million tonnes of food waste are generated each year. This problem worsens food insecurity, wastes natural resources and increases greenhouse gas emissions, damaging the environment and the climate.

Let this be a reminder for all of us to do our part by reducing the amount of wasted food. Buy only what you need. Plan your meals. Make a shopping list and stick to it, and avoid impulse buys. Not only will you waste less food, you’ll also save money! Store food wisely – move older products to the front of your cupboard or fridge and new ones to the back. Put your food waste to use – instead of throwing away your food scraps, compost them. This way you are giving nutrients back to the soil and reducing your carbon footprint. These are a few ways we can all help.

The recent A Terra Treme awareness exercise which coincided with Tsunami Day 5^th November focuses our attention on being prepared for such disasters however seldom they may occur. Much work is being undertaken on tsunami preparedness and what to should one occur. The Algarve is one of the most vulnerable territories on the Portuguese coast due to the high risk of earthquakes. Loulé City Council, is one of several councils that have a signage project for evacuation routes due to the risk of tsunami for its coast and a plan to raise awareness among the population in this regard.

There are now 140 tsunami evacuation route signs that are now spread across Quarteira/Vilamoura, 13 meeting points were created located outside the floodable area, considered safe places as they are located in higher areas, such as the Church of S. Pedro do Mar, the Drª Francisca de Aragão and Drª Laura Ayres Schools or Papa Francisco avenue. The plan also included 6 siren warning posts, which will be heard in the event of an alert.

Another initiative is being undertaken in Vilamoura; the land being essentially flat, the construction of shelters at a height is planned, especially in the Falésia Beach area, as, “In flat areas, the water spreads much further and it is necessary to walk longer distances to reach higher areas to evacuate.” If you use these areas familiarize yourself with these routes.

We are now approaching Black Friday on 29^th November. Black Friday is famous for big sales and shopping frenzy. It’s also a busy time online, with Salesforce.com reporting increased worldwide online sales hitting a record $40 billion in 2023. Yet, alongside this rise in legitimate transactions, there was a notable increase in fraudulent activity, with reported losses from scams associated with Black Friday and Cyber Monday climbing by 22% from the previous year. These statistics don’t just reflect consumer zeal for deals; they also underscore the period’s vulnerability to cyber threats. Experts forecast the top three scams for this year will be Counterfeit or fake products, Fake ‘winning’ notifications and phishing texts and emails.

Watch out for scam emails that may appear identical to real ones. Are the images copied from a web search? Only send an electronic payment to someone you know or trust. Ensure your device, browser, and app software are up to date to minimise vulnerabilities that hackers could exploit. Remember, scammers are counting on you to be in a hurry this time of year, and maybe a bit stressed and a little disorganized! Take your time while shopping out there and keep an eye out for their tricks. That extra moment can save you far more time and money than you may think!

Our team at Safe Communities wish you a safety and happy week ahead.

Azores Situation Report Wednesday 20th November 2024

Atlânticoline launches new tender for the acquisition of electric vessels in the Azores

Atlânticoline, a company that provides maritime transport for passengers and vehicles in the Azores, launched a new tender this Tuesday for the acquisition of two electric ships, after the previous one was cancelled.

The public tender for the “acquisition of two electric ships intended for the transport of passengers and vehicles in the Autonomous Region of the Azores” is published in the Official Gazette.

Interested parties have 30 days to submit proposals and the contract execution period is 480 days.

In April, the public company launched a public tender for the “construction of two electric ships intended for the transport of passengers and vehicles in the Autonomous Region of the Azores”.

The president of Atlânticoline’s board of directors, Isabel Dutra, had already admitted the possibility of the tender being cancelled, claiming that the winning consortium refused to sign the contract.

“Unfortunately, the tender did not have the outcome we were expecting, given that, after we had already awarded the proposal, the winning consortium requested changes, both to the execution deadline and to the technical characteristics of the vessels, changes that contradicted what was defined in the specifications”, explained Isabel Dutra, in statements to Lusa, in October.

According to the administrator of the public company, the winning consortium, made up of the companies Transinsular and Navaltagos, did not want to sign the contract due to Atlânticoline’s refusal to change the specifications, which provided for a budget of 25 million euros for the investment.

The carrier intends to access funds from the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP), which requires that the ships be acquired by 2025.

The execution schedule published on Atlânticoline’s website predicted that the tender for the acquisition would be concluded in the first quarter of 2024 and that the delivery of the vessels would take place in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Atlânticoline currently operates with five of its own vessels: the speedboat Ariel, with capacity for 12 passengers, the ships Cruzeiro das Ilhas and Cruzeiro do Canal, with capacity for 191 passengers each, and the ferries Mestre Jaime Feijó and Gilberto Mariano, capable of transporting, respectively, 333 passengers/13 vehicles and 296 passengers/10 vehicles.

The public company, which has around 120 employees, transports more than half a million passengers annually, the majority between the Faial/Pico canal, around five nautical miles.

Traders in the historic centre have high expectations for the festive season

All initiatives that promote a greater influx of people to the historic centre of Ponta Delgada during the Christmas period are welcome and an added value to traditional commerce, say traders.

There is still more than a month to go until Christmas, but this festive season is already bringing more people to the traditional shops in the historic centre of Ponta Delgada. Looking for ornaments and other decorative items, but also preparing to purchase their gifts.

Despite some initial pessimism, scepticism and all the current circumstances that lead to lower purchasing power on the part of Azorean families, traders reveal that they have good expectations for the entire period of this more festive season and conducive to greater consumerism.

Government of the Azores creates “Passe Açores 9 Ilhas” to encourage mobility

The Regional Government of the Azores has approved the resolution that creates the “Azores 9 Islands Pass”, which is only valid in the IATA winter season, to promote the mobility of residents throughout the archipelago

It is an intermodal air and sea pass, for single use and is a complementary measure to the Azores Tariff, which aims to provide mobility for residents across the nine islands of the archipelago, fostering proximity between Azoreans and effective knowledge of all the islands by residents of the Azores/

The rules of the “Passe Açores 9 Ilhas” are now being published, with each Azorean being able to make eight trips and choose the route they want to take.

It is the cost of the Azores Tariff, a regional fare that allows air travel for 60 euros (round trip) between islands for residents.

The Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 20th November 2024

by Mike Evans

A very good day to you all and the big news of the week has to be that the downpours we have been experiencing in the past couple of weeks have certainly helped the reservoirs that feed the Algarve region.

The six dams that supply the Algarve are currently at 34% of their total water storage capacity, having increased by five percentage points with the rains of recent days, according to data from the Portuguese Environment Agency ( APA ).

The Algarve dams have a total volume of around 154 cubic hectometres (hm3), corresponding to 34% of the total storage capacity, with “the rains of the last few days allowing 26 hm3 to be stored, which is equivalent to 35% of the needs of the urban and tourism sector”, said the president of APA.

Despite an improvement in the situation in the region of the country most affected by the drought, José Pimenta Machado defended the need to maintain savings measures, as it is not known what the evolution of water volumes will be in the future. “We are better off than we were before, but we have to maintain the same objective, the same plan to save water in the different sectors. That is, for the urban sector 10% and for agriculture and tourism 13%,” he said.

On the other hand, compared to the same period in 2023, there was an increase of approximately 39 hm3 of stored water, with the capacity of the dams increasing from 115 hm3 in the same period (26% of capacity) to 154 hm3 (34%). “The model presented in May, with the easing of cuts, is aligned with the available water reserves,” insisted the president of APA.

The Government decided in May to ease the restrictions previously imposed on water consumption in agriculture and the urban sector in the Algarve, including tourism, to tackle the drought in the region. Restrictions imposed on water consumption increased from 25% to 13% in agriculture and from 15% to 10% in the urban sector.

The Odeleite dam is now at 46% of its capacity (59.36 hm3), the Beliche dam at 38% (18.09 hm3) and the Funcho dam at 37% (17.70 hm3). In the windward (west) region the percentages are less important, with the Odelouca dam registering 31% of its capacity (49.16 hm3), the Arade dam 17% (4.88 hm3) and the Bravura dam 13% (4.40 hm3).

Following the rains that hit the Algarve between Thursday and Friday, Pimenta Machado wanted to leave a message of “solidarity” to the affected populations, praising the municipalities and regional Civil Protection for the work they did. So with a bit more rain we should all be ok until next summer.

Now a look at what else has happened in the past week or two.

Train Derailed Due To Bad Weather

A regional train was derailed on the 16th November between Fuseta and Olhão, interrupting train circulation on that route. The accident was caused by the presence of rocks on the Algarve Line caused by the torrential rain. Firefighters were called to the scene but the accident did not cause any injuries and passenger transport is being carried out via road transfer on the route between Fuseta and Olhão, with the rest of the Algarve Line operating normally.

Images shared on social media show the regional train, bound for Faro, off the tracks. Train 5702 runs daily, departing Vila Real de Santo António at 6:39 a.m. and arriving in Faro at 7:46 a.m. The district of Faro is one of three under yellow warning this Saturday, due to the possibility of heavy rain.

Heavy Rain Caused Flooding In Olhao

Several streets in the city of Olhão were flooded this Friday, the 15th, due to the heavy rain that fell at the end of the morning, with greater incidence in the eastern Algarve, said a source from Civil Protection.

According to a source from the Algarve District Emergency and Civil Protection Command, the heavy rain flooded several public roads in that city, however, without causing personal damage.

“Between 00:00 and 11:30, seven incidents were recorded in the region, but none were serious, and at the end of the morning, in a short space of time, there were several localised floods in the city of Olhão,” he said.

According to the source, the affected areas are low points where a large concentration of water usually occurs when it rains heavily in a short space of time. One of the flooded areas is a tunnel located under the railway line, on one of the city’s main avenues.

“For now, we have no record of road closures or more serious situations,” concluded the Civil Protection source. Meanwhile in other places across the Algarve, In Faro , there was a record of a fallen tree and, also, in Santa Catarina da Fonte do Bispo, in the municipality of Tavira , there were small floods.

Prime Minister Gives Assurances to Algarve over Preparedness of Floods

Prime Minister Luís Montenegro assured on Thursday, the 14th, that a plan is being prepared by Civil Protection to “mitigate” the peaks of rainfall and the possibility of flooding that may occur in the Algarve and Alentejo.

“We are in the Algarve, in the area of the country where it is most difficult to capture and retain water. Today we are experiencing flooding in the Algarve, and we will continue to do so in the coming days,” he warned on Thursday.

“We are, moreover, preparing our entire Civil Protection system to be able to mitigate the peaks of rainfall and the possibilities of flooding that are expected to occur in the coming days in the Algarve and Alentejo,” he added.

The head of government was speaking during the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Castelo de Vide Medicinal Alkaline Water Company, acquired by the Super Bock Group in 1971, giving rise to the current Vitalis collection and filling centre.

The centre and south of the country are expected to be particularly affected by strong hailstorms, accompanied by thunderstorms, over the next three days, according to a warning from Civil Protection, regarding the possibility of extreme wind phenomena.

Based on forecasts from the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere ( IPMA ), Civil Protection issued a warning to the population that “greater potential for severity” is expected in the lower Alentejo and Algarve. In light of the forecasts, the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority warned of the possibility of flooding in urban areas, floods caused by the overflow of rivers and streams and landslides.

There is also the possibility of contamination of drinking water by “inerts resulting from rural fires”. The dragging of loose objects onto the roads, or the detachment of mobile or poorly secured structures, due to strong winds can “cause accidents involving vehicles in circulation” and pedestrians on public roads, the Authority specified in a statement.

In the Algarve, the heavy rain that fell on Thursday morning for around 20 minutes flooded roads in Moncarapacho, in the municipality of Olhão, and cellars and shops in downtown Albufeira , said a source from Civil Protection.

Albufeira was the municipality in the district of Faro where the highest number of incidents were recorded, five of which were on public roads, followed by Moncarapacho, but none of them were serious.

Escaped Prisoner recaptured in Lagoa

An Algerian prisoner who had escaped on Tuesday, the 12th, from the Lisbon Court of Appeal was captured this morning in Estômbar , in the municipality of Lagoa, announced the GNR .

“It should be clarified that today, November 13, at around 9:40 am, in the town of Estômbar in Lagoa, the suspect who escaped from the Lisbon Court of Appeal yesterday was arrested”, reads a statement sent by the GNR.

That security force adds that the escapee was “spotted on the public road” by the Guard’s military personnel, after a complaint from a woman.

“When approaching the suspect, and given the dangerous nature of the intervention, he was searched and it was found that he was in possession of the handcuffs with which he had fled,” the note states.

Then, according to the statement, the suspect was arrested and transported to the Lagoa Territorial Post facilities, where his identity was confirmed, with the collaboration of the PSP.

The note states that the detainee will now be brought before the Lisbon Court of Appeal and that the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MAI) was informed of this occurrence.

The Public Security Police (PSP) had opened an internal investigation on Tuesday to determine the circumstances of the Algerian prisoner’s escape from the Lisbon Court of Appeal, where he was to be heard. In a statement released on Tuesday, the PSP said that, at around 10:20 am, the detainee, who was in the custody of that police force, fled “upon arrival at the Lisbon TRL, where he was going to be presented to the Judicial Authority” because there was a European arrest warrant issued by the German authorities for him, for the crime of arson.

“The police officers who were transporting the detainee were surprised” when, upon opening the door of the police vehicle, the suspect began to flee and managed to free himself from the handcuffs on one of his wrists during his journey, explains the PSP.

The detainee, according to the PSP, “was immediately pursued by the police officers who were at the scene”, but managed to escape and was last seen on Rua Vítor Cordon.

“The information was immediately broadcast to all Subunits of the Lisbon Metropolitan Command (Cometlis) via radio, via the Operational Command and Control Center, where the detainee’s escape occurred, and, to date, several resources from different PSP departments are committed to locating the escaped man,” the note reads.

According to a source from the PSP, the 36-year-old Algerian citizen was arrested on Sunday in the departures area of Humberto Delgado airport, in Lisbon, under a European arrest warrant.

Man Arrested in Vilamoura with Over 600 packets of Hashish

The GNR have arrested a 22 year old man for drug trafficking in Vilamoura, seizing more than six hundred doses of hashish that the man had in his possession. The arrest was made after a road inspection operation, when the GNR “stopped the man’s vehicle and found that the driver was displaying suspicious behaviour”.

On investigation, it was found that the suspect “had a large quantity of a narcotic product in his possession, which led to his arrest”. Police seized 645 doses of hashish and a cell phone.

Five Detained in Albufeira as part of Safety Campaign

The National Republican Guard (GNR) arrested five people on Monday for driving under the influence of alcohol and drug trafficking, in traffic inspection operations and in establishments in the municipality of Albufeira according to Lusa.

The police action took place within the scope of the “Portugal Semper Seguro” campaign, with the aim of “promoting the reinforcement of the feeling of security and the reduction of general crime rates in the municipality of Albufeira”, stated the Territorial Command of the GNR of Faro in a statement .

According to the police, three commercial establishments and 45 foreign citizens were inspected, and the operation resulted in the arrest of four people for driving under the influence of alcohol, and one for drug trafficking and the seizure of 224 doses of hashish.

17 traffic offences were also filed, five for drug consumption, five for violations of labour and social security legislation and three for general police purposes, the GNR specified.

The operation involved a total of 39 officers from the criminal investigation, borders, intervention and traffic areas. The “Portugal Semper Seguro” campaign, which has been taking place across the country, aims to “increase citizens’ sense of security”, through joint actions involving security forces and State agencies.

The initiative, under the coordination of the Internal Security System (SIS), includes the GNR, PSP, Judicial Police, Authority for Working Conditions, Social Security, Tax Authority, Food and Economic Security Authority and the Agency for Integration, Migrations and Asylum.

36 Arrests Across the Algarve In GNR Weekly Operation

The GNR’s weekly operational activity to combat crime and road inspection resulted in the arrest of 36 people, including 14 for driving without a legal licence, 12 for driving under the influence of alcohol and one for drug trafficking. Between the 11th and 17th of November, 646 doses of hashish, three pressure pistols, and a shotgun were also seized.

In traffic, 574 infractions were detected, 70 of which were related to anomalies in the lighting and signalling systems; 64 due to lack of mandatory periodic inspection; 18 due to lack of civil liability insurance; 15 for improper use of a cell phone while driving; 13 for speeding and eight for lack of or incorrect use of seat belts and/or child restraint systems.

During the same period there were 123 accidents, resulting in 24 minor injuries and two serious injuries.

Until the next time Stay Safe

The Algarve Report Wednesday 6th November 2024

by Mike Evans

Good day to you all in the Algarve. As we all read about the terrible floods that have caused a massive death toll in the Spanish towns of Valencia and to a lesser extent Barcelona, for us here in the Algarve we can be grateful for the amount of rain we have received over the past week. According to data from the latest weekly reservoir bulletin from the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA), the recent rains have increased the storage levels of two dams located in the Sotavento region of the Algarve.

During the period from October 31st to November 4th (Monday), the amount of water increased by around 2% in the Odeleite dam and 1% in the Beliche dam.

Regarding the remaining reservoirs in the region, no changes were recorded in the last week.

Data this Monday shows the Algarve dams had the following storage levels: Funcho was at 35% of its capacity; Odelouca at 32%; Odeleite at 30%; Beliche at 24%; Arade at 17%; and Bravura at 13%. All of the dams are still at a critical level but hopefully further rainfall will help to increase the amount of water available.

Now a look at some of the stories from across the region in the past week.

BODY FOUND FLOATING NEAR OLHÃO RIVERSIDE AREA

The body of a 77 year old man was found floating by a member of the public, near the riverside area of Olhão, on Saturday.

The National Maritime Authority have said that the causes of the occurrence are as yet unknown, and that the case is being investigated by the Judicial Police.

According to the National Maritime Authority, the alert was given by a member of the public on Saturday, November 2, when he spotted the body in the river. Emergency teams from the Olhão Municipal Fire Department and the INEM Emergency and Resuscitation Medical Vehicle (VMER) arrived swiftly on the scene, and began resuscitation, but were unable to reverse the situation.

Members of the local command of the Maritime Police of Olhão were also on scene, along with members of the Judicial Police, who began the investigation process.

The death was declared at the scene by the VMER doctor and, after contact with the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Judicial Police carried out the necessary investigations, the body was transported to the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences in Faro.

The Maritime Police Psychology Office has been activated and is providing support to the victim’s family.

BANK WARNS OF NEW SMS SCAM, TARGETING ACCESS TO ACCOUNTS

In a new fraud scheme that is spreading rapidly, Creditor Agrícola has publicly warned its customers about an SMS scam that directly targets access to their bank accounts.

This is a fraudulent message that appears to be sent by the bank itself and includes a dangerous link. By clicking on it, users risk having their bank details exposed and losing access to the balance in their accounts.

“We are warning you about fraudulent SMS messages that misuses the name Crédito Agrícola with a malicious link. Do not click or provide your CA Online/Mobile access codes,” warns the bank in a message sent to its customers. The warning is clear: if you receive a message from “Crédito Agrícola” with a link, regardless of the content, it is recommended not to click it.

These fraudulent messages, also known as phishing , take advantage of the common use of SMS to fool customers into believing that it is a legitimate communication from their bank. The aim is to trick users into entering their online banking login details on a fake page that replicates the real Crédito Agrícola website. Once the credentials are entered, the scammers can access the victim’s account, make transfers and empty the balance, causing damage that, in many cases, is difficult to reverse.

To prevent fraud of this type, the bank recommends that all customers always verify the sender of messages and avoid clicking on links included in unsolicited communications. If in doubt, the best option is to contact the bank’s support line directly, or visit a branch to clarify any message that may seem suspicious.

SMS phishing is a scam technique that is increasingly used by cybercriminals, given the trust that users place in text messaging. It is therefore essential to be aware of suspicious signs, such as unknown links, an urgency to click and content that requests access or personal data.

The recommendation is simple but effective: do not click on suspicious links and never provide confidential information without being absolutely sure that the communication is legitimate. This way, you can prevent these ingenious schemes from resulting in significant losses, protecting not only your personal data but also your financial assets.

MARITIME POLICE ARREST 4 DRUG TRAFFICKERS WHO RAMMED THEIR VESSEL

The Navy and the National Maritime Authority detected two boats suspected of carrying out drug trafficking activities this morning, in international waters off the south coast of Portugal.

The boats were pursued by the Portuguese authorities, when one of the suspect boats deliberately rammed the Navy vessel, causing a collision and injuring a soldier and two suspected drug traffickers, neither of whom were injured severely.

All the injured were rescued from the patrol vessel involved in the operation, by a Portuguese Air Force helicopter.

According to the Navy statement, a speedboat was seized and the four suspects arrested for being involved in drug trafficking.

Since the beginning of 2023, joint actions by the Navy and the National Maritime Authority, to combat drug trafficking, have involved the arrest of 111 people and seizure of 42 high-speed vessels, with more than 33 tons of narcotics on-board.

TWO MEN ACCUSED OF KILLING OWNER OF CAKE FACTORY IN ALBUFEIRA

Two men, aged 40 and 42, will be tried in court after being accused by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the crime of qualified murder of a 66-year-old man in September 2019, who was the owner of a cake factory in Albufeira. One of the accused, aged 40, was arrested last April and has been in pre-trial detention since then.

According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, which charged the two men through the Albufeira Department of Investigation and Criminal Action, at the beginning of September 2019, “during the night, the accused accessed the interior of the factory and upon seeing the victim, they beat him, in particular, on the face and neck” and, “using a grey adhesive tape, they tied his feet, his hands, covered his mouth and suffocated him”.

The victim died from external compression of the neck. The men stole €16,000 and several objects and before fleeing.

IBERIAN PACT – BIG STEP TO REINFORCE WATER SITUATION IN THE ALGARVE

The president of the Algarve Intermunicipal Community (AMAL) has considered that the water commitments signed last week between Portugal and Spain “are an important step to guarantee” the reinforcement of water supply in the region. “We are very pleased that, within the scope of this cross-border agreement, the 30 hectometres for water intake in Pomarão have been validated, as foreseen in the Water Efficiency Plan”, António Miguel Pina told Lusa agency.

The agreements for water management of flows in the Guadiana and Tagus between the governments of Portugal and Spain were formalised during the 35th Luso-Spanish Summit, which took place in Faro.

Asked whether the minimum monthly flow for the Guadiana River in the Pomarão section will be sufficient to reinforce and maintain part of the water resources in the Algarve, António Miguel Pina claimed to have no technical knowledge that would allow him to make an assessment. “This is an important measure that allows for a significant reinforcement of our water sources, as we had already foreseen in the Water Efficiency Plan for the Algarve within the scope of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR)”, he highlighted.

According to the president of the association of municipalities in the district of Faro, which makes up the 16 municipalities in the Algarve, “it is another project that is almost ready to come to fruition”. “We just need to launch the work, as well as the desalination plant and, with these two, we have a significant reinforcement of our water sources”, pointed out the mayor of Olhão.

For the mayor, even so, “it is necessary to assess whether these new sources associated with the reduction of losses and reuse are sufficient, in a much unknown scenario, due to climate change”.

The understanding between the two countries provides for a commitment to a daily flow in the Tagus and a monthly flow regime in the Guadiana River, in the Pomarão section, to guarantee the good condition of the estuary and the equitable distribution of flows available for use by both States.

The Joint Declaration of the 35th Portuguese-Spanish Summit says that the agreement “concerning the guiding principles for the establishment of a daily flow rate on the Tagus River, from the [Spanish] Cedilho dam” aims to “maintain circulating flows”.

The joint statement also confirms the agreements already announced to regularise abstractions in Alqueva by farmers from both countries, under which Spanish users will start paying Portugal for the water withdrawn, with the same conditions imposed on the Portuguese side.

TAVIRA CITY COUNCIL TO CUT POOL AND GARDEN WATER SUPPLY

Tavira City Council is cutting the water supply to customers with metres for garden watering and swimming pool maintenance, to reduce overall municipal urban consumption by 10% by the end of the year. Speaking to the Lusa agency, the administrator of the municipal company Tavira Verde, the entity that manages the public water supply in this Algarve municipality, said that “the cut began to be implemented this week, as part of the fight against drought in the Algarve”.

Antonio Ramos justified the cut in supply to pool and garden metres, due to the fact that customers “had not reduced consumption by 70%, as had been requested by the company”.

“We told [customers] that they could only consume 30%, but as there was no expected reduction, we moved forward with this measure to try to reach the end of the year with a total reduction of around 10%”, he highlighted.

The administrator of Tavira Verde acknowledged that “there was an effort by all residents” to save water, but “it was not enough”. The municipality, he also said, is committed to complying with the 10% reduction in relation to 2023, decreed by the Government for urban consumption, admitting that “it will be difficult to achieve this target by the end of the year”.

“We are only experiencing an overall reduction of 7%, which forces us to adopt measures, in the last two months, to reduce consumption in public and private spaces, which we estimate will be a reduction of 2%”, he highlighted.

Antonio Ramos considered that the cut in supply for garden irrigation and swimming pool maintenance “will not have a major impact due to the weather conditions, given that the season is more humid and with some rain”.

Along with cutting off the supply to the second metres, the municipal corporation is also reducing the pressure in the water pipes during the daily period between 0 am and 6 am, the official revealed.

“Between midnight and 6am we reduce the pressure to very low values and during the day, we maintain a controlled normal pressure, so that water reaches the entire population,” he said.

Until the next time Stay Safe…..

Azores Situation Report Wednesday 6th November 2024

From our correspondent in Azores

More than half of people aged 85 and over have already been vaccinated against the flu

More than half (59.6%) of people aged 85 or over have already been vaccinated against the flu this year, according to estimates from the monitoring of the vaccination campaign released yesterday.

The results of the second wave of the vaccinometer, an initiative of the Portuguese Society of Pneumology and the Portuguese Association of General and Family Medicine (APMGF), indicate that vaccination coverage compared to the previous year increased in groups recommended for the vaccine, rising from 39.7% to 43.6%.

The exception is the population between 60 and 64 years old, whose vaccination rate is 21.6%, below what was seen in the 2023/24 season (-4%).

Vaccinometer estimates show that 57% of pregnant women have already been vaccinated, with half saying they did so on their doctor’s recommendation.

Around 40.1% of healthcare professionals in contact with patients have also taken the flu vaccine, the same being true for more than half (53.7%) of those surveyed with chronic illness.

In the group of chronic patients, more than half (55.7%) of the population with cardiovascular disease will have already been vaccinated, the same happening to 49.3% of people with diabetes.

Coverage for people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is around 42.1%.

Of the total group of vaccinated people, in the sample studied, the main reasons that led them to get vaccinated were the doctor’s recommendation (33.9%), their own initiative to always be protected (33.5%), in the context of a work initiative (17.0%), having received notification of an appointment from the National Health Service (8%) and knowing that they are part of a risk group (7%).

Quoted in a statement, the president of APMGF, Nuno Jacinto, considers the results in the second wave of the vaccinometer to be remarkable, highlighting the increase in vaccination compared to the previous year, especially considering that last season this data was collected in November, “which translates into an increase in the vaccination rate”.

“Another piece of data that is quite consistent, not only with the last wave, but also with data from last season, concerns the weight that the doctor’s recommendation has in the reasons why groups with recommendations get vaccinated,” he adds.

Regarding the high-dose vaccine, which is administered free of charge to people aged 85 or over in health centers, in the total sample studied in the vaccinometer, 52.9% do not know that a vaccine with these characteristics is available for this population.

Regarding the place where the vaccine was purchased/administered, 39.7% were at a pharmacy, 26.9% at health centres, the same percentage as those who were vaccinated in the context of a work initiative.

Among those who have not yet been vaccinated, the main reason given for not getting vaccinated was that it was not a habit (37.8%).

Regarding the co-administration of flu and COVID-19 vaccines and taking data from the previous wave as a reference, the rate in the groups with recommendation decreased (from 82.9% to 76.6%), although the main reason for receiving both vaccines at the same time remains the same (I want to be protected | I consider that both are important for my health).

Still in relation to co-administration but based on respondents who have not yet been vaccinated, the trend from the last wave remains, in which the majority intend to be vaccinated by taking both vaccines at the same time (57.7%), in line with last year’s results, albeit with less expressive values (85.3% vs 57.7%).

The vaccinometer was launched in 2009 and data from the second wave were collected between October 23 and 28.

The initiative allows monitoring, in real time, the flu vaccination coverage rate in priority groups recommended by the Directorate-General for Health.

The seasonal vaccination campaign against flu and Covid-19 began on September 20 and is taking place simultaneously in thousands of pharmacies across the country and in SNS units.

Lisbon Court of Appeal confirms conviction of Azorean mayor of São Roque for embezzlement

The Lisbon Court of Appeal confirmed the conviction of the president of the Parish Council of São Roque, in the municipality of Ponta Delgada, for the crime of embezzlement.

On its official website, the Lisbon Regional Attorney General’s Office stated that the Lisbon Court of Appeal “dismissed the appeal filed by the defendant, president of a Parish Council, following a conviction by the Local Criminal Court of Ponta Delgada”, on the island of São Miguel.

On April the 24th, the Ponta Delgada Court sentenced Pedro Moura to three years and 10 months in prison, with a suspended sentence, and loss of mandate for continued embezzlement and economic participation in a business.

Pedro Moura had his sentence suspended under the obligation to pay, within a period of one year, an amount exceeding 3,800 euros.

According to the note from the Lisbon Regional Attorney General’s Office, with the recent decision of the judgment of October the 23rd, 2024, the Lisbon Court of Appeal confirmed the defendant’s conviction for the practice, as president of the Parish Council, of “a crime of embezzlement (in apparent competition with a crime of economic participation in business), with a sentence of three years and 10 months in prison, suspended in its execution for the same period of time”.

The defendant was also required, “within one year from the date of the final judgment”, to pay the amount of 3,825 euros to the State and a fine of 100 days (at a daily rate of 15 euros), which amounts to 1,500 euros.

The mayor was also sentenced to “the additional penalty of loss of office as president of the Parish Council”.

The facts judged by the Court were committed between 2015 and 2019.

The court considered the accusation made by the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP) as proven within the scope of the investigation, which dates to 2015, when Pedro Moura was already president of the Parish Council of São Roque, elected by the PS, and a deputy in the Azorean parliament.

At issue in this case is the alleged diversion of an amount exceeding 137 thousand euros from the Parish Council’s accounts to the Clube Naval de São Roque, created and managed by Pedro Moura.

According to the MP, the local authority purchased three plots of land to carry out urgent works in the parish and the assets were transferred to the Naval Club.

Of these plots of land, two were later returned to the Board, but a third was sold by Clube Naval for 250 thousand euros to pay off part of the loan.

During the reading of the sentence, the judge stated that Pedro Moura was the one who managed “the destinies” of the Parish Council and “the remaining members signed” and “followed orders” from the mayor, while “the Naval Club was a ghost association”.

“There was never any protocol with the Board for the decision to acquire these properties”, said the magistrate, when reading the ruling, adding that Pedro Moura, as the holder of a public office, “illicitly appropriated public funds”.

The court found it proven that he “exclusively” controlled the Junta and the Naval Club, “created to acquire real estate”.

It was also proven that “the water and electricity bills were paid by the Board but were in the name of the Naval Club.

According to the judge, “it was not a mistake, it was an illegitimate appropriation of amounts belonging to the public treasury”.

In the court’s understanding, Pedro Moura “acted with intent, acted freely”, and knew that he was doing so “in his capacity as president of the Parish Council, appropriating funds from the Council for the benefit of the Naval Club”.

As for the amount exceeding 137 thousand euros, the judge said that “the Naval Club donated the two buildings to the Board”, for which reason it “has already been reimbursed”.

After the sentence was read, Pedro Moura told journalists that he was “dissatisfied” and that he would appeal the decision, reinforcing that public works had been carried out and that “in the balance of the accounts” the Board had benefited.

Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 6^th November 2024

Good morning. We hope many of you participated in the A Terra Treme Awareness exercise held throughout the country yesterday. This was promoted by regional Civil Protection authorities, in partnership with local educational communities, firefighter associations, municipal civil protection services and other civil protection agents, awareness-raising actions on the issue of seismic risk. The 12th edition of ‘A Terra Treme’ took place at 11:05 am in collaboration with several public and private entities, with registrations open to the public on the website www.aterratreme.pt.

Safe Communities Portugal was invited as a guest to the Dr. Garcia Domingues Elementary School in Silves to witness the exercise held there. In addition it was a great pleasure for us at to be invited as an Observer to attend the simultaneous exercise PROCIVALG_24.2 to test the Special Emergency Civil Protection Plan for Seismic and Tsunami Risk of the Algarve took place in the area of Search and Rescue Intervention with 7 different scenarios.

These included 1: Search and Rescue of collapsed Structures; 2: Water level intervention – bridge collapse; 3: Accidents involving hazardous substances; 4: Search And Rescue for collapsed structures; 5: Activation of Tsunami Risk Population Warning System (Sirens) with evacuation from Rock Beach and rerouting emergency routes to safe zones/meeting points and 6: Inoperability of the Silves Health Centre.

Last week Safe Communities was kindly invited by Australian Ambassador McCormack to give a presentation of our work to a group of around 20 Consular officials from various embassies held at the Australian Embassy in Lisbon. The topics covered were: disaster risk reduction, particularly in the case of earthquakes, fires and flooding; improved community preparedness in a crisis scenario and heightened risk awareness to avoid becoming a victim of crime. Following the presentation there was discussion related to these topics focusing primarily on crisis management.

Turning to Spain. Yesterday the Generalitat’s Emergency Coordination Centre declared the end of the yellow warning for rain and storms in the north of the province of Castellón, meaning that there are no longer any alerts in force throughout the Valencian Community. Working in the affected areas by the floods, more than 1,700 firefighters from 42 organisations and 6,700 soldiers were deployed on the ground. Almost 17,000 soldiers, Guardia civil and national police officers were deployed in the areas affected by the DANA in the province of Valencia.

This was a major catastrophe with some 215 lives lost, and the number injured not yet counted. There were 100,000 estimated cars damaged or destroyed as well as those in underground car parks, where it is feared that more bodies may be found.

At one stage nearly 700 mm of rain fell in a 3 hour period, more than a year’s worth in the area of Valencia concerned. This amount would have similar impacts in many cities, in any country, so it is essential to minimize the effects by ensuring that weather forecasting is timely and accurate; and that alerts are given as far in advance as possible so that people are aware and prepared. Early warnings are essential to minimize casualties and loss of life.

Our team at Safe Communities Portugal wish you a good week ahead.

News

PSP’s Community Police Model to be reviewed

The PSP’s community policing model will be reviewed, the Minister of Internal Affairs said today, defending its importance to communities and also promising greater investment from the Government.

“The PSP has had a programme for many years that needs to be revisited, which is community policing. This involves having more trained staff and a dialogue that needs to be held with local authorities, social security and neighbourhood associations. I am confident that this work will be done”, stated Margarida Blasco, stressing: “It is very important that citizens trust their police. The Government trusts the police”.

Speaking to journalists at the end of the first congress of the Police Professionals’ Union Association (ASPP/PSP), which took place this weekend at the Faculty of Law in Lisbon, the minister explained that there are 500 future agents being trained at the moment and that this review also involves strengthening the conditions for police officers.

“We are going to invest in training and, to do so, we need to open competitions for agents, chiefs and officers. We are paying close attention and in this constant dialogue that we have with the unions and the police, one of the programs that we are going to revive is community policing”, she reinforced.

Among the equipment that will be the target of investment are bodycams, tasers and new vehicles for the Public Security Police (PSP), but Margarida Blasco recalled that these issues must go through public tenders before they can reach the agents on the ground.

“Public tenders are slow and we have to comply with the law. Now, we intend to invest in bodycams, tasers and the equipment that is necessary for police action. Obviously, it is registered and we are waiting for the tenders to end”, she stressed, clarifying that the decision on the two public tenders already contested regarding bodycams is in the courts and that the Government is awaiting this outcome.

INTERPOL’s largest-ever operation against human trafficking and people smuggling

GLASGOW, United Kingdom – INTERPOL today is releasing preliminary results of its largest-ever operation against human trafficking and migrant smuggling, carried out across 116 countries and territories.

Operation Liberterra II (29 September to 4 October) led to the rescue of 3,222 potential victims of human trafficking and identified 17,793 irregular migrants.

Authorities around the world conducted police raids, reinforced strategic border points, monitored nearly 24,000 flights and deployed officers to known trafficking and smuggling hotspots. Globally, nearly 8 million checks were carried out against INTERPOL’s databases.

A total of 2,517 arrests were made during the week – 850 of which were specifically on human trafficking or migrant smuggling charges.

Operational coordination units were set up in Argentina, Senegal, the Philippines and North Macedonia to assess intelligence and facilitate cooperation between countries within their respective regions and beyond. The operation also saw an unprecedented level of support from 15 specialized units from INTERPOL’s General Secretariat, partner organizations, national agencies and NGOs.

INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock said: “In their relentless pursuit of profit, organized crime groups continue to exploit men, women and children —often multiple times over. While still preliminary, the results of this operation highlight the vast scale of the challenge facing law enforcement, underscoring that only coordinated action can counteract these threats.”

INTERPOL’s Executive Director of Police Services, Stephen Kavanagh said: “Beyond providing a snapshot of global trafficking and migration trends, the operation served as a vital capacity building opportunity for countries, fostering relationships between specialized units, and enhancing cross-agency collaboration.”

Trafficking-fuelled fraud

The week-long operation uncovered dozens of cases in which trafficking victims were deceived and coerced into committing fraud, marking a clear departure from traditional trafficking patterns, where human exploitation is the sole criminal objective.

Targeting online scam centres using human trafficking victims has been an operational priority since INTERPOL issued an Orange Notice warning its membership of this growing and globalizing trend. In many of these cases victims are lured with false promises of employment and are kept there through intimidation and abuse.

In the Philippines, for example, officers raided a warehouse where more than 250 people, mostly Chinese nationals, were running romance scams on an industrial scale. Officers are now combing through seized devices and carrying out interviews to separate the potential victims of trafficking from members of the criminal enterprise.

On the other side of the world, in West and Central Africa, officers uncovered eight separate cases, involving multiple victims forced into exploitative pyramid schemes. Once recruited, they were transported across borders and held against their will, often suffering physical and psychological abuse.

In one instance, 24 Togolese victims were safeguarded in Mali. The women had been promised employment in locations as far away as North America, but instead, they were charged “recruitment fees” of up to USD 6,000 to operate a multi-level marketing scheme. They were then forced to target family and friends to join as well. So far, 10 arrests have been made.

Azores Situation Report Thursday 31st October 2024

51-year-old man dies after being swept away by the sea

A 51-year-old Belgian man, who was swept away by a rip current on Monte Verde beach last Friday, ended up dying, having been declared dead in the Emergency Department of the Hospital do Divino Espírito Santo.

Last Friday, a man and a child were rescued on Monte Verde beach, after being swept away by riparian waves.

According to the National Maritime Authority, the 51-year-old man and the 12-year-old child, both of Belgian nationality, were rescued “after allegedly getting into difficulties in the water, after being dragged by large swells, on Monte Verde beach, in the municipality of Ribeira Grande”.

The alert was received at 4:45 pm on Friday, through the Ponta Delgada Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre, with elements of the local command of the Ponta Delgada Maritime Police and the ‘Sea Watch’ project being mobilized to the location.

The National Maritime Authority revealed that, upon arrival at the scene, rescuers found that the child, assisted by a swimmer who was nearby, “was physically well, without needing medical assistance”.

The man, who was in cardiorespiratory arrest, “was rescued to land by a surfer, and was immediately assisted by lifeguards from the Ribeira Grande pools, in collaboration with members of the SRPCBA”, who later transported him to the hospital in Ponta Delgada.

According to the hospital, the man ended up dying, having been declared dead in the Hospital’s Emergency Department.

Seven suspects arrested for involvement in hard drug trafficking network in Ponta Delgada

The PSP arrested six men, and one woman accused of trafficking hard drugs in the parish of Livramento, in the municipality of Ponta Delgada, as part of a “family-oriented” network

Following suspicious movements near a café in the parish, the police detected “an intense and abnormal flow of drug addicts heading towards the establishment and its surrounding area”.

According to the statement released, “various indications and evidence were then collected that pointed to the existence of a network of drug traffickers, of a family nature, suspected of carrying out transactions of significant quantities of hard drugs, specifically heroin and synthetic drugs”.

The PSP carried out three house searches and 11 non-house searches, having seized synthetic drugs, money, three cars and four motorcycles, among other objects.

The seven people were brought before a criminal investigating judge at the Ponta Delgada Court, and the most serious coercive measure, preventive detention, was applied.

The PSP added that two other arrests of suspects linked to this criminal network had previously been made, with one of them being under house arrest.

Soldier dies in Ponta Delgada during physical condition diagnostic test

A soldier died this Wednesday following a cardiorespiratory arrest that occurred “during the physical condition diagnostic test” at the São Gonçalo Military Camp, in Ponta Delgada, announced the Army, which opened an investigation process.

“It is with pain and great consternation that the Portuguese Army announces the death of a recruit soldier from the 6th Common General Training Course for Army Enlisted Personnel, incorporated on October 21st, into the 2nd Garrison Regiment, who left prematurely and unexpectedly”, said a statement released this Wednesday.

According to the Army, the death of the 22-year-old soldier occurred at the São Gonçalo Military Camp, in Ponta Delgada, on the island of São Miguel, “following a cardiorespiratory arrest that occurred during the physical condition diagnostic test (Cooper Test), which all recruit soldiers take at the beginning of their training”.

“The soldier was immediately evacuated, by ambulance, to the Hospital do Divino Espírito Santo, in Ponta Delgada, where resuscitation manoeuvres were carried out, without success, and his death was declared at the end of the morning”, it adds.

The Army added that it “activated psychological support for the family” and opened an investigation process to determine the causes of what happened.

The soldier was from the municipality of Lagoa, on the island of São Miguel.

The Algarve Report Thursday 31st October 2024

by Mike Evans

A very good day to you all. As with last week’s introduction, the subject of Water is still very much in the minds of the people and legislatures of the Algarve. Despite the first real signs of rainfall the news from the area is not looking better. According to a report by the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA), only five of the 16 municipalities in the Algarve reduced water consumption in September, municipalities that still fell short of the 10% reduction target. According to data from the most recent Water Observatory in the Algarve, dated September 30, that month there was “a decrease in the performance of the 16 municipalities” in the region, in terms of compliance with the 10% reduction in urban consumption defined in June by the Government.

The five Algarve municipalities that reduced water consumption in September, compared to the same period in 2023, were Lagoa, Tavira, Vila Real de Santo António, Alcoutim and Castro Marim, having, however, fallen “short of the 10% reduction target”, “With regard to accumulated urban consumption between January and September [2024], there was a reduction in the region of 8.0%, which translates into savings of around 4.7 million cubic metres, compared to the reference period [January to September 2023]”,

In the Algarve region, since May 2022, water storage levels in reservoirs have been below 50%, with the lack of replenishment during wet periods generating a continuous deficit in the use of available surface and groundwater.

The current situation of water reserves in the Algarve region, particularly in 2022 and 2023, in which values were recorded below the 20th percentile, determines that current water uses “cannot be adequately satisfied with existing reserves in surface and groundwater”, states the APA. “The rainfall that occurred during the months of March and April allowed an increase in the volumes stored in the reference reservoirs in the Algarve region, allowing, between January 1st and April 30th, an increase in the stored volume by a further 84 cubic hectometres (hm3)”, he adds. According to the APA, this situation “makes it possible, albeit cautiously, to reduce the level of reduction in volumes allocated for different uses and ecological flows without, however, neglecting that at the end of December 2024 the useful volume stored in the reservoirs guarantees one year of public supply”.

Twelve districts on the mainland will be under a yellow warning this Wednesday and Thursday due to the forecast of showers, which could sometimes be heavy and accompanied by thunderstorms, according to the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA).

We can but hope that the expected rainfall in the next couple of weeks helps ease the situation.

Now a look at some of the other stories around the region this week.

GNR Arrest Man in Portimão for Drug Dealing

The National Republican Guard (GNR) arrested a 37-year-old man this Friday for drug trafficking, in the parish of Santa Catarina da Fonte do Bispo, in the municipality of Tavira. The arrest took place as part of a road inspection operation. The man was found to be carrying money and several types of drugs.

“The arrest took place as part of a road inspection operation, during which the Guard’s military personnel, upon approaching the driver, identified a quantity of a narcotic product in his possession”, explains the GNR in a statement.

During the operation, the military confirmed that they were dealing with 36 individual doses of cocaine, which resulted in their immediate arrest and a search of the vehicle, where 339.90 euros in cash, a mobile phone and a light vehicle were seized.

During the investigation, a search was carried out at the detainee’s residence, where more narcotics and other objects of criminal relevance were found, culminating in the seizure of 208 doses of cocaine, 120 doses of hashish, two doses of marijuana, five rounds of ammunition, a mobile phone, 160 euros in cash and packaging bags and cutting material for individualising the doses.

The detainee was brought before the Loulé Judicial Court, and was subject to the coercive measures of weekly periodic presentations and a ban on contact with individuals associated with drug use.

Albufeira Rally to be held this weekend

The Albufeira Municipal Rally is back on the road, on the 2nd and 3rd of November, for what will be the seventh edition. This will mean some road closures so make sure you are aware if they are close to you.

The event, which is an initiative of the Clube Automóvel do Sul with support from the Municipality, under the auspices of the Portuguese Automobile and Karting Federation, counts towards the Start Sul Rally Championship and the 2RM Start Sul Rally Championship.

The competition kicks off on Saturday the 2nd, with the night-time Super Special. Avenida dos Descobrimentos was once again the chosen stage for the tests and demonstrations of tricks, drifts and acrobatics, which begin at 9pm, between the Albufeira Fire Station intersection and the Relógios roundabout, covering a distance of over 2 kilometres.

On Sunday, the 3rd, the 35 registered drivers will compete in three stages. In the parish of Ferreiras, the Rally will take place at 10:04, 12:05 and 14:06; in Paderne at 10:27, 12:28 and 14:29 and in Guia at 10:55, 12:56 and 14:57.

In a note, Albufeira City Council highlights that, due to the event, some of the roads will be restricted during the competition hours, however traffic will flow in accordance with the instructions of the National Republican Guard.

The awards ceremony will take place on Sunday at 4:00 pm on the podium installed in the car park next to the Court.

José Carlos Rolo, Mayor of Albufeira, revealed that “the growing interest and participation of the public consolidates the event as one of the most important events in the south of the country, making it a reference in the region’s automobile scene, with an increasingly important role for the municipality”.

Public Awareness Exercise for Seismic Risk – A TERRA TREME on 5 November

The 12th edition of the Public Awareness Exercise for Seismic Risk – A TERRA TREME, organised by the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC), will take place on November 5th, at 11:05 am.

The initiative consists of a national exercise promoted annually by ANEPC, in collaboration with several public and private entities, and which aims to “enable the population to know how to act in the event of an earthquake”. “Knowing what to do before, during and after an earthquake, namely knowing the preventive measures and self-protection behaviours to adopt, is the purpose of this journey that we propose to all citizens”, says ANEPC in a statement. The exercise involves performing three simple gestures that can make a difference to those who practise them in the event of an earthquake. The exercise lasts one minute, during which participants, individually or collectively (families, schools, companies, public, private or association institutions), will have to perform the three self-protection gestures: Get Down, Protect and Wait.

“The initiative has had significant support from the school population, thanks also to the involvement of the Directorate-General for Education (DGE) and the Directorate-General for School Establishments (DGEsTE)”, he stresses. In conjunction with these partners, ANEPC, with the support of the municipality of Silves, is promoting a main event of the exercise at the Dr. Garcia Domingues Basic School, in Silves , at Praceta, Largo Gil Eanes 1, 8300-118 Silves.

At the end of this action, a LIVEX Exercise will take place, with the movement of real resources on the ground, for sectoral testing of the Special Civil Protection Emergency Plan for Seismic Risk and Tsunamis in the Algarve, in the Search, Help and Rescue Intervention area, with seven different scenarios, in the municipalities of Portimão and Silves.

In Praia da Rocha, in partnership with the Municipal Civil Protection Service of Portimão, the pilot project sirens of the population warning system, installed in that bathing area, will be activated, with subsequent “evacuation of people and animals from the identified risk areas, through the marked routes to the meeting points, carrying out the emergency procedures that follow a tsunami alert”. Over the course of successive editions, the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority has sought to “broaden reflection and debate around the issue of seismic risk and knowledge about what to do before, during and after an earthquake to all sectors of civil society”, particularly within the scope of “the inclusion of people with disabilities, in order to achieve greater resilience, both individual and collective, among the population”.

Throughout the country, the Regional Emergency and Civil Protection Commands (CREPC) and the Sub-regional Emergency and Civil Protection Commands of ANEPC will promote, in partnership with local educational communities, Fire Departments, Municipal Civil Protection Services and other civil protection agents, awareness-raising actions on the subject of seismic risk and self-protection measures to face it, as well as carrying out the exercise A TERRA TREME.

Citizens and entities can participate by registering here .https://www.aterratreme.pt/

This edition of A TERRA TREME coincides with World Tsunami Awareness Day, highlighting “the importance of an informed and resilient society in the face of natural disasters”.

MAN TRIES TO ESCAPE WITH A FIREARM AFTER HIS CAR COLLIDES WITH A POLICE CAR

The PSP arrested two men on Friday last night, for driving under the influence of alcohol, illegal possession of a firearm, qualified damage and resistance and coercion against an employee, in Olhão.

During a patrol at 03:20 am, “the driver of a vehicle, upon noticing the presence of the patrol car, fled”, says the PSP. Given the suspicious behaviour, the vehicle was “followed and subsequently stopped”, with the support of another patrol car.

When the suspect’s vehicle stopped, “the passenger, who was brandishing a rifle, immediately fled on foot and was caught a short distance away”, the police explained. When ordered to drop the weapon, the man “did not initially comply, so the police officer fired a warning shot into the air”. The suspect immediately “threw the weapon to the ground, and it was possible to handcuff him and subsequently arrest him”.

At the same time, after the passenger had exited, with his path blocked by the police vehicle, with its lights and sirens on, the driver of the suspects’ vehicle began to drive towards the police vehicle, violently colliding with it, causing damage”.

Despite the damage caused and the attempted escape, the police stressed that it was “possible to intercept the driver and arrest him”. The immediate police investigation resulted in the seizure of €2500 euros, the “origin of which they were unable to prove”, as well as a knife. After the driver was subjected to a breathalyser test, he was found to have a blood alcohol level of 1.61 g/l.

ALGARVE RAILWAY LINE CLOSED AFTER FATAL ACCIDENT IN OLHÃO

The Algarve railway line was closed earlier this morning, after a railway accident at around 07:45 am in Marim (Olhão), causing one fatality.

A source from the Algarve Regional Emergency and Civil Protection Command said that the victim was crossing the railway line on foot when he was hit by the train, in the Marim area, in Olhão.

By 8:30 am, 18 members of the fire department, INEM, GNR and Infraestruturas de Portugal were on site, supported by seven vehicles.

The line runs across the Algarve, connecting the railway stations of Vila Real de Santo António and Lagos.

That’s all for this edition. Until the next time stay safe.

Safe Communities Portugal Safety and Security Report Thursday 31^st October 2024

Good afternoon everyone. We start with the tragic news of the loss of almost one hundred lives in Spain due to the catastrophic flash floods that have killed at least 95 people. This was caused by a destructive weather system in which cold and warm air meet and produce powerful rain clouds, a pattern believed to be growing more frequent due to climate change.

The phenomenon is known locally as DANA, a Spanish acronym for high-altitude isolated depression, and unlike common storms or squalls it can form independently of polar or subtropical jet streams. When cold air blows over warm Mediterranean waters it causes hotter air to rise quickly and form dense, water-laden clouds that can remain over the same area for many hours, raising their destructive potential. The event sometimes provokes large hail storms and tornadoes as seen this week, meteorologists say.

Eastern and Southern Spain are particularly susceptible to the phenomenon due to its position between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Warm, humid air masses and cold fronts meet in a region where mountains favour the formation of storm clouds and rainfall. This week’s DANA was one of the three most intense such storms in the last century in the Valencia region, Ruben del Campo, spokesperson for the national weather agency Aemet, said.

“Forecasts were in line with what happened. But in an area between Utiel and Chiva, in the province of Valencia, rainfall exceeded 300 millimetres. In that area, storm systems formed and regenerated continuously,” he explained.

DANA has now moved its centre and it’s over the mainland Portugal and we will continue to receive its influence hence the yellow warnings for rain. But here the situation is forecasted to be very different. Because the CAPE (potential energy for thunderstorms) is much lower, it can be 2 to 3 times lower, and even lower at times! This leads to situations, which do not have the violence that we have been seeing in Spain, especially in the Valencia area.

Unfortunately it does not appear to be over. Heavy rains again severely affect the province of Valencia. Red warnings have already been issued due to heavy rainfall that will remain extremely intense until tomorrow. Between 200/350 millimetres of rain may be recorded in the next 36 hours. We would advise not to travel to Valencia unless you really need to do so – in which case take extra care. If you are in or about to travel to Spain carefully check the weather and in particular the weather warnings that may be in place.

The National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC) will hold on November 5th, at 11:05 am, the 12th edition of the Public Awareness Exercise for Seismic Risk – A TERRA TREME (www.aterratreme.pt). It is important that as many people as possible participate, as it helps create greater awareness on the action to take during an earthquake, which can occur without warning at any time in any place. Knowing instinctively the correction action to take can reduce casualties.

A little piece of good news. The strike by ticket inspectors and workers at CP — Comboios de Portugal, which was running until November 3, has been suspended after the company reached an agreement with the union, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing announced. CP — Comboio de Portugal reached an agreement with the Commercial Itinerant Review Railway Union (SFRCI) after “a negotiation period that allowed a consensus to be reached”, the ministry overseen by Miguel Pinto Luz announced today, in a statement sent to the Lusa news agency.

With that our team at Safe Communities wish you all a safe week ahead.

News:

A Terra Treme Exercise – Preparation Action for Seismic risk

This is a national exercise promoted annually by ANEPC, in collaboration with various public and private entities, which aims to enable the population to know how to act in the event of an earthquake. Knowing what to do before, during and after an earthquake, in particular knowing the preventive measures and self-protection behaviours to be adopted, is the purpose of this journey that we propose to all citizens.

The exercise involves carrying out 3 simple gestures that can make a difference for those who practice them in the event of an earthquake. The action takes place for one (1) minute, in which participants, individually or collectively (families, schools, companies, public, private or associative institutions), are invited to perform the 3 self-protection gestures: Download, Protect and Wait.

The initiative has had significant support from the school population, also thanks to the involvement of the Directorate-General for Education (DGE) and the Directorate-General for School Establishments (DGEsTE). Together with these partners, ANEPC, with the support of Silves City Hall, promotes a main exercise event at Escola Básica Dr. Garcia Domingues, in Silves, located at Praceta, Largo Gil Eanes 1, 8300-118 Silves.

At the end of this action, a LIVEX Exercise (Live Exercise) will take place, with the movement of real resources on the ground, as a sectoral test of the Special Civil Protection Emergency Plan for Seismic Risk and Tsunamis in the Algarve, in the Search and Rescue Intervention area. Rescue, with 7 different scenarios – PROCIVALG_24.2, in the municipalities of Portimão and Silves, in the Barlavento Algarvio.

In Praia da Rocha, in partnership with the Municipal Civil Protection Service of Portimão, the sirens of the pilot project of the population warning system, installed in that bathing area, will be activated, with subsequent evacuation of people and animals from the identified risk areas, through signposted routes to meeting points, carrying out emergency procedures following a tsunami warning.

Throughout successive editions, the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority has sought to expand reflection and debate around the topic of seismic risk and knowledge about what to do before, during and after an earthquake for all sectors of society civil, notably within the scope of the inclusion of people with disabilities, in order to achieve greater individual and collective resilience among the population.

In this sense, and under the United Nations motto “No One Left Behind”, ANEPC will promote, in partnership with the Municipal Civil Protection Service of Nazaré, at CERCINA – Education, Rehabilitation, Training and Inclusion Cooperative of Nazaré, at the minute pre-defined for the Exercise, the 3 protective gestures in the event of an earthquake, as well as the evacuation of users to a Population Concentration and Support Zone, set up at the Nazaré Sports Gym, Municipal Sports Complex, Areal. With this initiative, it is expected to be able to learn lessons in order to prepare both civil protection agents and residential social responses for existing risks and specific action in an emergency context with a population that presents vulnerabilities.

Across the country, the Regional Emergency and Civil Protection Commands (CREPC) and the ANEPC Sub-regional Emergency and Civil Protection Commands will promote, in partnership with local educational communities, Fire Departments, Municipal Civil Protection Services and the other civil protection agents, awareness actions on the topic of seismic risk and self-protection measures to combat it, as well as carrying out the exercise A TERRA TREME.

ANEPC invites citizens to participate and register at www.aterratreme.pt, reinforcing its commitment to safety and preparedness for seismic risk. This edition of A TERRA TREME coincides with World Tsunami Risk Awareness Day, highlighting the importance of an informed and resilient society in the face of natural disasters.

All information at www.aterratreme.pt

Azores Situation Report Wednesday 30th October 2024

51-year-old man dies after being swept away by the sea

Last Friday, a man and a child were rescued on Monte Verde beach, after being swept away by riparian waves.