The Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 19 April 2023
Good day to you all and with a very hot start to April in the Algarve and a bumper Easter holiday for the tourism industry you could be mistaken for thinking everything is Rosy!
The lack of rain in the spring is impacting on the water situation in the Algarve with reservoirs well below the levels they should be at this time of the year with the summer barely starting. In a report published recently it showed that in the Algarve on March 31, 48% of the territory was in meteorological drought, while on the last day of February the percentage was 28%. The meteorological drought situation increased in mainland Portugal during the month of March, worsening in the southern region, according to the latest climate bulletin from the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere ( IPMA ).
According to the IPMA, there was an increase in the intensity of the meteorological drought in the southern region, with emphasis on the districts of Setúbal and Beja and some places in the eastern Algarve, which are in the severe drought class.
On the other hand, in the North and Central regions there was a decrease in the rain classes and some places in the Northeast region were already in the weak drought class, on the last day of the month. At the end of March, 24% of the territory was in the normal class, 23.7% in weak drought, 15.5% in light rain, 14.2% in moderate drought, 10.2% severe drought and 2.4% in moderate rain.
The IPMA pointed out that at the end of March, the values of the percentage of water in the soil showed a decrease throughout the territory, with the exception of the north coast where there was an increase in the districts of Viana do Castelo, Braga and part of the district of Vila Real.
The institute classifies the drought meteorological index into nine classes, which vary between “extreme rain” and “extreme drought”. In addition to the drought index, the IPMA Climatological Bulletin indicates that the month of March was classified as hot and dry.
The average values of the average, maximum and minimum temperature were higher than normal in March. With regard to precipitation, the IPMA advances that the average value of the amount of precipitation in March, 47.9 millimetres, corresponds to 78% of the normal value.
It is for everyone to save as much of this precious commodity as we can so here are a few ideas which can help on an individual basis.
- Check your toilet for leaks.
Put a few drops of food colouring in your toilet tank. If, without flushing, the colouring begins to appear in the bowl., you have a leak that may be wasting more than 100 gallons of water a day.
- Put a plastic bottle in your toilet tank
Put an inch or two of sand or pebbles in the bottom of a one litre bottle to weigh it down. Fill the rest of the bottle with water and put it in your toilet tank, safely away from the operating mechanism. In an average home, the bottle may save five gallons or more of water every day without harming the efficiency of the toilet. If your tank is big enough, you may even be able to put in two bottles.
- Turn off the water while brushing your teeth and while shaving
Before brushing, wet your brush and fill a glass for rinsing your mouth. When ready to shave Fill the bottom of the sink with a few inches of warm water in which to rinse your razor.
- Use your automatic dishwasher for full loads only and Use your automatic washing machine only for full loads only.
- Take shorter showers
A typical shower uses 20 to 50 litres of water a minute. Limit your showers to the time it takes to soap up, wash down and rise off.
- Keep a bottle of drinking water in the refrigerator
This puts a stop to the wasteful practice of running tap water to cool it for drinking.
Now a quick look at some of the other news from around the region in the past week.
Man Arrested in Portimao for Theft and Kidnapping in Gaia.
The Northern Judiciary Police located and detained, in Portimão, a suspect “heavily indicted” for committing the crimes of robbery, kidnapping and aggravated theft, committed on October 5, 2022, in Vila Nova de Gaia, informed that force.
On that date, the now detained man, together with two other defendants, arrested at the end of March of this year and who were given the coercive measure of obligation to stay in the house, approached the victim on the public road and, with the pretext of consuming products narcotics, they went together to a neighbourhood in the city of Porto, where they proceeded to purchase them, says the PJ in a statement.
“Later, in order to subtract all the money that the offended person had in his possession, they took him to the residence of one of the defendants and there they attacked him and kept him deprived of his freedom for a few hours, until they obtained their intentions”, he clarifies. Later, adds the PJ, they abandoned him in a field, about five kilometres from his place of residence, having then gone to his residence, where they also stole a motorcycle.
The detainee, aged 39, without any professional activity, with a criminal record for theft and robbery, was presented to the competent judicial authority for the first judicial interrogation, and was remanded to prison to await a full trial.
Couple Arrested on Suspicion of Stabbing 19 Year Old Girl in Albufeira who later Died
The couple suspected of having stabbed a 19-year-old girl who ended up dying on Sunday, April 16, in the morning in Albufeira , were arrested and will be presented to a judge, said a police source.
The Judiciary Police spent the day in this Algarve city listening to witnesses and carrying out the investigation, after the alert was given to firefighters at 06:30 and the GNR was also called to the scene.
The victim was still alive when firefighters arrived, but emergency medical services declared the young woman dead around 07:30. The same source explained that a knife was used in the aggression, which has since been recovered, and indicated that there are suspicions that it was a “disagreement between kids” in the context of nightlife.
The incident took place on Rua da Oura , with several bars and many frequented by domestic and foreign tourists.
According to the information available to the authorities, the victim and the suspects are of Portuguese nationality.
Three Arrested for Drug Trafficking in Portimao
Three people aged between 23 and 33 were arrested on Wednesday, April 12, on suspicion of drug trafficking and possession of a prohibited weapon in Portimão , announced the Public Security Police (PSP).
One of the people was arrested as part of an investigation delegated by the Portimão Public Prosecutor’s Office into the commission of crimes of offence to physical integrity, aggravated threat and possession of a prohibited weapon, following the fulfilment of three search warrants, where a weapon was seized 6.35mm calibre firearms and a firearm reproduction.
During a surveillance action to prevent drug trafficking, two more people were arrested in flagrante delicto, having seized 161 doses of heroin, 25 doses of cocaine, eight doses of hashish and 465 euros.
49th Anniversary of the Carnation Revolution celebrated across the Algarve
And finally with The 25th April sees the 49th Anniversary of the Carnation Revolution as it has come to be known as and many towns and councils are organising celebrations to mark the historic event.
In Loule, Between the 21st and 25th of April, the Carnation Revolution of 1974 will be remembered with various activities that will take place in Loulé , announced the municipality.
The first activity takes place on April 21, at 6:30 pm, at the Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen Municipal Library, with the presentation of the book “Exílios no Feminino – Sete Paths of Struggle and Hope”, by Priscila Soares, under the heading “ Open Books”.
The night of April 24th will be marked by a musical show at Cineteatro Louletano by A Garota Não and by Brazilian artist Luca Argel, entitled “Country that nobody invades”.
The 25th of April begins with the usual raising of the National Flag, in front of the Town Hall, at 10:00 am, with the participation of the Philharmonic Band Artists of Minerva and Municipal Firefighters.
Afterwards, a formal session of the Municipal Assembly will take place at the Cineteatro Louletano, starting at 10:30 am, with Priscila Soares as a special guest, who will make a speech with the theme “A Woman in the Mountains, after April”.
This session will also include the participation of the mayor of Loulé, Vítor Aleixo, the president of the Municipal Assembly, representatives of the municipal groups and musical moments of José Alegre, Grupo Coral Infantil de Loulé and Grupo Coral de Quarteira.
Open to the general public, this session will also be broadcast live on Youtube and translated into Portuguese Sign Language.
At night, Janita Salomé and Rúben Alves take the stage at Cerca do Convento do Espírito Santo, starting at 7 pm, with free admission.
In Lagos The celebrations of the 49th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution will take place between the 22nd and 25th of April with various initiatives, announced the municipality .
On the first day, the Cultural Center of Lagos hosts at 6 pm the multidisciplinary show entitled “Revolutions”, by the association Questão Repetida, with music, poetry, movement and art. On the 24th of April, a tribute concert to Chico Buarque takes the stage with the name “Quem te vi, quem te ver”, signed by Thais Motta and Marcus Lima. This show is free to enter, but tickets must be picked up at the venue.
On the 23rd of April, the morning will be dedicated to Zeca Afonso at the Municipal Library of Lagos, with a music and dramatic expression workshop, entitled “Zeca Afonso, do you know who he is?”, by Catrapum Catrapeia, starting at 10:00 am, based on the book “O Homem da Gaita”.
At 12:00, participants will have the opportunity to speak with the book’s illustrator, Rui Pedro Lourenço.
On the 25th of April, the celebrations will take place in Praça Gil Eanes, at 09:30, with the raising of the flag, followed by the solemn session, in addition to a release of pigeons by the Clube Columbófilo de Odiáxere and musical moments by the band of the Sociedade Filarmónica Lacobrigense 1.º de Maio and Coral Group from Lagos.
At 11:30 am, the guided tour “Lagos, the military and the revolutions” will take place, with historian Artur de Jesus.
The municipality of Castro Marim will mark the 49th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution with a “freedom program”, full of initiatives that will take place between the 23rd and 25th of April, announced the municipality .
The concert-tertulia by Zé Villar and José Luís Peixoto will open the celebrations on April 23, at the Municipal Library of Castro Marim from 6 pm, also marking World Book Day, with free entry but subject to prior booking through from the phone 281 510 747.
The following day, the exhibition “Colonial War – A Social Portrait of the Combatant” will open at Casa do Sal, starting at 12:30.On the same day, musician Afonso Dias will take several poems and songs from the Carnation Revolution to schools in Castro Marim and Altura.
The 25th of April will start at Praça 1.º de Maio, in Castro Marim, with a parade by the Castromarinense Musical Band at 08:30, followed by the hoisting of the National Flag and the traditional release of pigeons.
The street will pass through several villages throughout the day, such as Furnazinhas, Alta Mora, Odeleite, Azinhal, Junqueira, Monte Francisco, Pisa Barro, São Bartolomeu and Altura.
The schedule for the 25th of April also includes a cycling tour in Altura, at 10:00 am, with the signature of Leões do Sul Futebol Clube and Clube Recreativo Alturense.
At 15:00 there will be a family futsal tournament promoted by União Desportiva Castromarinense, at the Municipal Pavilion of Castro Marim.
The day ends in Altura with a traditional 11-a-side soccer game, promoted by Clube Recreativo Alturense.
Whatever you are planning, have a safe week.