The Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 28th September 2022
by Mike Evans
Good day to you, and whilst we all felt a little of Autumnal weather in the past week we now see that the forecast for October is to remain warm and sunny. Whilst this does not help us with the water situation it does help those in the travel and hospitality industry to prolong the season.
There are still plenty of tourists here in the Algarve and it is again worth mentioning the large number of deaths by drowning Portugal has seen this year, and the need to be aware of the factors that could cause drowning- Temperature of the water, rip currents and people who are not confident in the sea. If you are out and about along the coast please keep a look out for anyone showing signs of distress and call 112.
Some of the stories from the Algarve this past week.
Police crackdown produces results.
In the last week, the GNR detained 56 people in the district of Faro, most of them for driving under the influence of alcohol, according to a report on the weekly operational activity of that police force released this Monday.
The GNR’s Faro Territorial Command carried out a series of operations in the district, between 19 and 25 September, with the aim of “preventing and combating violent crime and road surveillance, among others”, says the GNR in a statement.
During these actions, 56 people were arrested: 20 for driving under the influence of alcohol, 13 for driving without a legal licence and eight for drug trafficking, he said. With regard to traffic violations, the GNR reports that it detected 619 violations, of which 184 were for speeding, 56 for lack of mandatory periodic inspection, 48 for lack or incorrect use of seat belts and/or child restraint systems. and 30 for improper use of the mobile phone while driving, among others.
On the other hand, during the week that ended on Sunday, this security force seized, among other products, 163 doses of heroin, 141 of lime, 68 of cocaine and 47 of hashish, the note reads.
According to the same report, with regard to accidents on the Algarve roads, 120 accidents were recorded, resulting in one serious injury and 26 minor injuries.
The GNR also carried out 58 awareness-raising actions in the district of Faro, noting that 54 people were contacted under the Safe School program and 24 elderly people under the Safe Seniors Programme .
Man on Burgau beach has to be helped after feeling unwell
A 70-year-old man was helped on Saturday, September 24, at Burgau beach , in the municipality of Vila do Bispo , announced the National Maritime Authority.
The victim felt unwell in the water and had difficulty breathing, and the alert was given around 12:00, through the Volunteer Firefighters of Vila do Bispo, who activated the means of the SeaWatch project and INEM for the site.
The man was assisted on the beach by lifeguards on duty until the arrival of SeaWatch and INEM elements, who provided differentiated assistance to the victim, who was later transported in stable condition to a hospital unit.
Castro Marim promotes free screening of skin diseases
The Municipality of Castro Marim will promote free screening for cancer and other skin diseases between the 12th and 14th of October, the municipality announced .
Aimed at the entire population of the municipality, this initiative, which was periodically developed before the pandemic, returns after two years of interruption.
The screening is done voluntarily by the dermatologist Manuela Aguiar, who has detected tumour lesions at an early stage and performs the treatment of any precancerous lesions (actinic keratoses) with liquid nitrogen.
Albufeira replaces diesel buses with 100% electric vehicles
On the 22nd of September, five 100% electric buses (two minibuses and three standard buses) began to circulate in Albufeira, on the current lines of the GIRO urban transport network, out of a total of 23 electric vehicles that, by the end of the second half of the year, 2023, will integrate the entire fleet.
The presentation of the five vehicles took place on the day that marks the European Day Without Cars, within the scope of the European Mobility Week, in a symbolic ceremony, which was attended by the mayor , José Carlos Rolo, members of the council, representatives of the Barraqueiro Group, João Santos and Mateus Silva, the member of the Steering Committee of POSEUR – Operational Program for Sustainability and Efficiency in the Use of Resources, José Guedes, and representatives of the electric vehicle construction company.
The five electric vehicles were customised with the image of the GIRO that everyone knows, but with the predominant green colour, instead of the blue previously used in diesel vehicles “to draw attention and cause greater impact on users”.Subsequently, when all electric vehicles enter into circulation, all buses will have this characterization, which will allow the population to easily identify the moment from which the fleet will become fully electric.
The new vehicles will come into operation on an experimental basis, which allows that until the effective start of the concession, scheduled for December 1st, any difficulties that may arise can be resolved.
The mayor of Albufeira highlighted that the entry into operation of electric buses “contributes to improving the quality of life in the municipality, since it is a less polluting means of transport, with significant contributions in terms of environmental sustainability ”.
Thanks to this investment, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions fall from 6,436.55, emitted per 1000 kilometres carried out in diesel buses (current GIRO), to just 671.60 kilos of CO2 emitted per 1000 kilometres carried out on buses. electric buses.
On the other hand, the number of lines increased from five to 11 and the number of bus stops from 135 to 210, increasing the total capacity of the fleet from 496 to 1331 seats. The number of places for wheelchairs is also increased from 10 to 23, with the possibility of transporting bicycles on some lines of the new GIRO.
According to the municipality, all buses have lift platforms and air conditioning. Also within the scope of the new concession, new services will be made available, including a mobile application, online ticketing and online consultation of circuits and timetables, (which will allow real-time monitoring of the stop at which the vehicle is located).
Currently, the GIRO network serves the locations of Albufeira, Branqueira, Páteo, Marina, Ferreiras (downtown) and Estação da CP. With the entry into operation of the new lines, GIRO will also pass through Olhos de Água, Rocha Baixinha, Malhada Velha, Fontainhas, Cerros Altos, Mosqueira, Patroves, Galé/Salgados, Vale Parra, Guia and the Algarve Shopping mall.
National award “Mobility in Bicycle” awarded to Faro
The municipality of Faro was distinguished, this week, with the national award “Mobility in Bicycle” within the scope of the 17th edition of the award promoted by the National Federation of Cycling Tourism and Bicycle Users (FNCUB).
The ceremony took place in the auditorium of the Orlando Ribeiro Municipal Library (Telheiras), in Lisbon, and was attended by the Mayor of Faro, Rogério Bacalhau , Councillor Sophie Matias and Secretary of State for Urban Mobility, Jorge Delgado, representatives from FNCUP, among several other personalities linked to the mobility area.
This award, created in 2007 by the FPCUB, aims to publicly recognize the contribution of entities or people who have promoted the use of bicycles in its multiple aspects, through the creation or improvement of conditions or the promotion of initiatives to encourage the use of this mode of transport. Sustainable.
Two men arrested for drug trafficking in Albufeira
Two men aged 23 and 32 were arrested on Wednesday, September 21, for drug trafficking in Albufeira , announced the National Republican Guard ( GNR ).
The arrest was made by the Faro Territorial Command, through the Albufeira Territorial Sub-detachment, during a patrolling action.
The GNR military approached a vehicle and detected that the two occupants had narcotic drugs in their possession, and 163 doses of heroin, 28 doses of cocaine, three cell phones, a light vehicle and 150 euros in cash were also seized.
The detainees will be present for the first judicial interrogation during this Thursday, September 22, at the Albufeira Judicial Court, for the application of coercive measures.
Bravura Dam has the lowest level of water in the country
The volume of water stored at the Bravura Dam, in Lagos, on 19 September, was only 9.2%, a figure well below the usual average at this time of year, which is usually around 56%.
The data appear in the latest water availability map in Portugal, released by the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) on the website of the National Water Resources Information System, and show a decrease of 0.6 percentage points, in this reservoir, in relation to the end of August.
Comparing the values of the hydrographic basins, it is still possible to see that the Barlavento basin, which only integrates the Bravura dam, has the lowest stored volume in the country, followed by the Lima basin (21.6%).
As for the Guadiana basin, which includes the Algarve reservoirs of Odeleite and Beliche, the data are more encouraging, with a stored volume of 61.9% (only 0.2% below average), thanks largely to the Alqueva Dam. , which has a volume of 65%. Odeleite has 36% of its total capacity and Beliche has 29%.
The volume of the Arade Basin is 38.5% (at the end of August it was 39.8). In this basin, the Funcho reservoir is the only one above 60% (61%). Arade is at 28% and Odelouca at 34%. Despite the rains in September, there are still no notable differences in the storage levels of the southern reservoirs, which register a lower volume than at the end of last month.
And Finally,
Tourists arriving at the airport receive Algarve oranges
Tourists who arrive at Gago Coutinho airport in Faro tomorrow, September 27 , will receive free Algarve oranges to mark International Tourism Day, announced VisitAlgarve.
Turismo do Algarve and the Algarve Regional Directorate of Agriculture and Fisheries will distribute around 200 kilos of Algarve oranges with the support of AlgarOrange, a non-profit association that represents around 40% of citrus production in the region.
From 10:00 am, the oranges will be distributed to tourists, with the participation of the vice president of Tourism of the Algarve, Fátima Catarina, the director of airport infrastructure, Alberto Mota Borges and the regional director of Agriculture and Fisheries of the Algarve, Pedro Monteiro. In addition to the Algarve oranges, tourists who pass through the network of 20 tourist information offices of Turismo do Algarve will receive gifts and souvenirs.