The Algarve Report Wednesday 21 June 2023
by Mike Evans
With the IPMA releasing a report showing the drought situation worsened in mainland Portugal in the month of May, with the entire mainland in drought, 35% of which in severe and extreme drought, The Algarve municipalities put forward plans to reduce the amount of water we all use. At the same time we are told that temperatures in the South are due to rise further with a possible maximum of 42 degrees in some areas. according to meteorologist Maria João Frada. Speaking to Lusa, the meteorologist from the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA) said that the rise in temperatures will be “very significant”, above average for the time of year, and should remain at least until the 27th of June.
The climate bulletin of the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA) for the month of May states that there has been an increase in the area in drought, with the entire territory in a situation of meteorological drought.
The IPMA highlights the increase in the moderate drought class in the North and Center regions, in the South region and some places in the Tagus Valley in the severe and extreme drought classes and the decrease in the extreme drought class and increase in the severe drought class. “At the end of May, 35% of the territory was in severe and extreme drought (26% and 9% respectively) affecting especially the areas of Vale do Tejo, Alentejo and Algarve”, explains that institute.
According to IPMA, 25.3% of the territory is in mild drought, 39.4% in moderate drought, 26.3% in severe drought and 8.9% in extreme drought. The bulletin specifies, “the regions of Vale do Tejo, Baixo Alentejo and Algarve stand out with percentage values of water in the soil below 10%, which in some places are already equal to the wilting point level permanent”.
The IPMA also indicates that the month of May in mainland Portugal was classified as very hot in terms of air temperature and very dry in terms of precipitation, having been the eighth hottest May since 1931.
The Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere underlines that, of the 10 warmest months of May, seven occurred after 2000. The maximum air temperature in May was the tenth highest since 1931 with an average value of 24.55 degrees centigrade, almost four degrees above normal, while the minimum temperature was the seventh highest since 2000 with an average value of 11.84 degrees, 1.34 degrees higher than normal value.
According to the IPMA, the total precipitation in May corresponded to 49% of the normal value, values lower than those of this month occurred in 25% of the years, since 1931. The bulletin also mentions that, during the month of May, the period from 26 to 31 May is highlighted with the occurrence of showers, sometimes heavy, hail and accompanied by thunderstorms, especially in the interior North and Center region. So whatever your plans for the next week or so make sure you are covered and remember to preserve water as much as possible.
Now a look at some of the stories from across the Algarve region in the past week.
Maritime Police Arrest Woman Setting a Fire in VRSA
The elements of the Local Command of the Maritime Police of Vila Real de Santo António (VRSA) detained this Thursday afternoon, June 15, a woman in flagrante delicto, while setting fire to it using a lighter in the forest of Monte Gordo , municipality of Vila Real de Santo António.
Following a complaint “received by a popular person”, the National Maritime Authority informs, in a statement, that “elements of the Local Command of the Maritime Police of Vila Real de Santo António and the Fire Brigade of Vila Real of San Antonio”.
Upon arriving at the scene, members of the Maritime Police “approached a 36-year-old woman who was setting fire to various parts of the forest, using a lighter”.The suspect was detained at the premises of the Local Command of the Maritime Police of Vila Real de Santo António and will be present in court tomorrow, June 16.
The Judiciary Police and the Public Ministry were contacted. The Local Command of the Maritime Police of Vila Real de Santo António took care of the occurrence.
PJ Arrests Suspect of Sexual Abuse of Minors
The Judiciary Police, through the DIC of Portimão , identified and detained a man, aged 48, for the presumed authorship of several crimes of sexual abuse against children, perpetrated since the end of last year, in Portimão, that entity announced today.
The alleged crimes will have been “started when the victim turned 12 years old”, says the PJ in a statement.
“The facts took place in the suspect’s house, in the context of a family relationship of affinity and cohabitation with the victim”, continues the note. The signalling was carried out “at the beginning of this week”, and the PJ carried out “investigative steps that allowed the collection of relevant evidence and which culminated in the arrest of the accused”, can be read in the note.
The detainee will be present at the first judicial interrogation for the application of coercive measures deemed appropriate. The Inquiry is carried out by the Portimão Public Prosecutor’s Office.
High-Speed Vessel Seized South of the Algarve Coast
The Portuguese Navy and the National Maritime Authority seized on Friday, June 16, in the south of Portugal, a high-speed vessel, linked to drug trafficking, without a crew and with 60 jerricans of fuel .
According to a statement from the Navy, the vessel was found during a joint operation by the two forces that took place in international waters south of the Portuguese coast.
During the operation, movements of “vessels suspected of being related to drug trafficking were monitored”, indicated the Navy. “A high-speed vessel was chased and another with 60 fuel jerry cans inside was found”, specified that branch of the Armed Forces, without indicating whether the chased vessel was boarded and seized.
According to the source, the approaches were carried out by a Maritime Police vessel, two Portuguese Navy ships and a vessel operated by Marines.
The seized vessel was towed to the port of Faro so that investigations could be carried out, concludes the note from the Portuguese Navy.
Unwell Man Assisted on Monte Gordo Beach
A 62-year-old man was helped on the beach of Monte Gordo , in the municipality of Vila Real de Santo António , on the morning of Saturday, June 17, after feeling unwell, announced the National Maritime Authority.
The victim was rescued by elements of the “SeaWatch” project, after receiving the alert at 11:50 am through a popular call.
The project elements immediately went to the site in an Amarok vehicle, having found the victim conscious, indisposed, with low glucose levels and blood pressure values above normal.The European Emergency Number (112) was immediately contacted, thus triggering the Volunteer Firefighters of Vila Real de Santo António, who transported the victim to a hospital unit.
French Man suffers Heart Attack at Beach
A 69-year-old man of French nationality was assisted on Thursday, the 15th, after allegedly feeling unwell on the sand, going into cardiorespiratory arrest, at Praia da Barrinha, in the municipality of Faro , reported AMN .
“Following an alert received at 11:25 am, via the Lisbon Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC Lisboa), informing that a person was in cardiac arrest on the beach at Barrinha beach, they were immediately activated for the location. elements of the “SeaWatch” project, from the Faro Maritime Police Local Command, as well as elements from INEM and the Humanitarian Association of Volunteer Firefighters of Faro”, says the National Maritime Authority (AMN) in a statement.
The victim was assisted on site by elements of the “SeaWatch” project, in collaboration with elements from INEM, who carried out resuscitation manoeuvres “until the man was stable”. The victim was later transported by members of the Faro Humanitarian Association of Volunteer Firefighters to a hospital.