The Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 25th October 2023
by Mike Evans
A very good afternoon to you all and especially if you are reading this report for the first time. The object of the report is to give people information that they may not have been aware of which will involve the safety and security of the region. We source the information from a number of news outlets and Government organisations and we always make sure they are as accurate as we can make them.
This week we have finally seen some of the expected rain across the region with a number of places seeing very high winds as well as rain. With the arrival of Storm Bernard to the area, has caused localised flooding but thankfully no personal injuries, but plenty of damage to property and cars. With more rain forecast over the next week we should all take extra care when out on the roads and remember to increase your stopping distance in the wet conditions.The rain and wind that were felt on Sunday, October 22nd, caused damage in the eastern Algarve in municipalities such as Loulé , Faro, São Brás de Alportel, Olhão, Tavira, Castro Marim and Vila Real de Santo António .
Storm “Bernard” brought flooding, falling trees and other structures, road closures and electricity failures that gave authorities a hard time.
In Loulé, more than 150 incidents were recorded in the municipality, the majority of which were tree falls on public roads, according to a statement from the municipality. There were around 100 operatives from the Municipal Fire Department, Municipal Civil Protection Service, Loulé City Council, Parish Councils and municipal companies on the ground.
The municipality warns residents who have suffered damage to vehicles parked on public roads to go to the Loulé City Council office to report the incident, together with the report from the National Republican Guard, a photograph of the damage and proof of ownership of the vehicle. vehicle.
In São Brás de Alportel, 20 incidents were recorded in 24 hours, with 13 tree falls, two floods, three mass movements, one structure collapse and one patrol. There were 94 Firefighters and City Council services on site.
In Vila Real de Santo António, several trees were felled or destroyed by the wind, in addition to flooded roads and other damage that occurred throughout the municipality. The regional commander of the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC), Richard Marques, said that, until 17:00, a total of 224 incidents were recorded, 145 corresponding to falling trees, 47 flooding, 24 falling structures and some land movements.
“Faro was the most affected municipality so far, where 71 incidents were recorded”, he specified. According to Richard Marques, “there is no record of any victims or personal injuries resulting from the bad weather.
Strong cross winds and rain affected landing and take-off operations at Gago Coutinho International Airport in Faro on Sunday, October 22, having affected more than seven flights, said a source from Portuguese Air Navigation (Nav), in addition to having caused damage in the eastern Algarve between Loulé and Vila Real de Santo António.
According to the source, the bad weather that occurred in the Algarve, namely “crosswinds with gusts approaching 50 knots (around 100 kilometres per hour)”, affected “air take-off and landing operations”.
Due to the wind speed, many aircraft commanders chose not to land or take off, the source highlighted.
However, he added, the improvement in weather conditions allowed the operation to “fully reopen” at 4:50 pm.
According to information available on the ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal portal, as of 3:30 pm, more than seven flights between arrivals and departures to and from cities in Europe had been cancelled.
The Algarve region was under red warning, activated by the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere, due to the risk of “strong and persistent precipitation” and whose most critical period of rain would be at 3:00 pm.
Until 6:00 pm it was under orange warning due to wind gusts of up to 100 kilometres per hour and sea agitation, with waves from the southeast measuring three to four metres high and waves from the south measuring six to eight metres high.
In addition to the football match between Moncaparachense and Vitória de Guimarães being interrupted, the Loulé Ladies Open by Cimpor tennis tournament ended up being postponed.
Now a look at some of the other news that has been happening across the region in the past week.
Man detained while trying to sell drugs to tourists
A 41-year-old man was arrested in the late afternoon of Wednesday, October 18, while trying to sell drugs to tourists in Lagos , announced the Public Security Police (PSP).
The arrest was made by the Faro District Command of the PSP, through the Lagos Police Station, during a preventive patrol action in the city centre.
The police noted the presence of the suspect, who was approaching tourists and trying to sell something that, “due to his posture and movement, could potentially be illicit substances”, according to the statement.The suspect, who already has a criminal record in this practice, was approached and searched, and 24 individual doses of hashish and 11 individual doses of cocaine were seized.
After being present at the Lagos Court, the coercive measure of Identity and Residence Term was applied to him.
Sailboat assisted on the Arade River on Maritime Police Day
The Day of the Maritime Police and the General Directorate of the Maritime Authority, which took place on Sunday, October 22nd, was marked by assistance to a sailboat that was in difficulty on the Arade River, in Portimão, announced the National Maritime Authority .
During the celebrations, while navigation was taking place on the Arade River with the Secretary of State for National Defense, Carlos Lopes Pires, the Chief of Staff of the Navy and National Maritime Authority, Admiral Henrique Gouveia e Melo, and the Director General of Maritime Authority, Vice Admiral João Dores Aresta, the crew of the vessel Cego de Maio detected the sailboat in difficulties due to adverse weather conditions.
Members of the local command of the Portimão Maritime Police and the Ferragudo Life Saving Station were immediately activated, who assisted the sailboat crew member who was physically well and did not need medical assistance. The sailboat was accompanied to the Portimão marina by members of the National Maritime Authority and the local Command of the Portimão Maritime Police took charge of the incident.
Four detained for various crimes in VRSA, Olhão and Tavira
Four people were arrested on Monday and Tuesday, October 16th and 17th, for committing the crime of resistance and coercion against an employee in Vila Real de Santo António , Olhão and Tavira , announced the Public Security Police (PSP).
At the end of the morning of that day, two suspects aged 42 and 51 directed several insults and threats at two police officers in Vila Real de Santo António, “without there having been any interaction between them”, according to the statement.
At the time of the arrest there was high resistance from the suspects who tried to attack the police, resulting in their immobilisation. At the end of the night, in Tavira, a 31-year-old suspect was approached by the PSP while riding an electric scooter, as there were signs that he was carrying narcotic products.
The suspect disobeyed the order to stop and charged the scooter towards one of the police officers, hitting him in the shoulder area and causing him to fall.
The other police officer present intercepted the suspect and proceeded to immobilise him, always with strong resistance from the scooter driver.
The previous day, in Olhão, after an investigation into domestic violence, an arrest warrant was executed for a 28-year-old suspect, who was present at the Faro Court on Tuesday, with the application of the coercive arrest measure. Preventive.
PJ investigates attempted murder that occurred at a shipyard in Loulé
The Judiciary Police, through the Southern Directorate, arrested a 64-year-old man due to strong evidence of attempted murder, an illicit crime that occurred in the municipality of Loulé, it was announced today.
The crime occurred on the afternoon of Thursday, October 19th, “the attack occurred inside the premises of a shipyard belonging to a company dedicated to metalwork and civil construction, for which the victim and attacker performed occasional work”, details the PJ.
The victim, a 60-year-old man, was attacked “using a sharp weapon, causing injuries to his neck, the severity of which led to his being taken to the Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Algarve”, the note continues .According to what was found, “the aggression resulted in the worsening of the personal relationship between both parties, with, following the altercation, the detained person resorting to a sharp weapon to attempt the victim’s life”, it reads.
Following the steps taken and as a result of the investigative work carried out, “relevant evidence was collected which culminated in the identification and arrest of the presumed perpetrator, formalised yesterday”, Thursday 19 October.
The detainee will be present today for judicial interrogation for the purposes of applying coercive measures deemed appropriate.
The investigation is led by the Loulé Department of Investigation and Criminal Action.
One detained and three accused of drug trafficking
One man was arrested and three others were charged with the crime of drug trafficking in the city of Portimão , on Thursday, October 19th, announced the Public Security Police (PSP).
The action was carried out by the PSP District Command of Faro, through its Investigation Squadron of the Portimão Police Division, following an investigation that was being carried out in recent months.
The suspects carried out their criminal activity in nightlife areas and close to educational establishments, selling directly to consumers.Two home search warrants were issued, with the collaboration of the Republican National Guard, where 203 individual doses of amphetamines and 184 individual doses of hashish were seized, in addition to other articles and documents.
The detainee will be presented to the Portimão Court for interrogation to apply coercive measures.
Man detained at Faro Airport with 10kgs of Hashish
A 55-year-old man was detained at Faro airport on suspicion of drug trafficking , as he prepared to travel to the United Kingdom with 10 kilos of hashish, it was announced today.
In a statement, the Judiciary Police ( PJ ) said that the suspect was preparing to travel alone, “disguising several packages distributed over different parts of his body”.
The man, with a police and judicial record for violent crimes and drug trafficking, also had money with him, in UK bank notes. After attending his first judicial interrogation, in Faro, the coercive measure of preventive detention was applied to him. The investigation continues under the responsibility of the PJ.
And finally some good news for those of us who like the odd glass of local wine! According to Postal newspaper, Algarve wine production this year should register an increase of 5% compared to 2022, with producers managing to counteract the drought situation, revealed the president of the Algarve Wine Commission (CVA).
Speaking to the Lusa agency, Sara Silva said that the expectations of the 50 Algarve wine producers are for production to grow by 5% in 2023, after a decrease of between 6 and 7% in 2022.
“The sector in the Algarve has been adapting, namely with investments made in intelligent irrigation systems and the use of indigenous plants, which has allowed it to fight the drought situation”, explained Sara Silva.
The president of the Algarve Wine Commission highlights that “producers are aware of the need to use effective irrigation systems and are also increasingly aware of issues of environmental sustainability”.
According to figures provided by the person responsible, the growth in production was achieved mainly with the planting of new vineyards.
Have a good week and stay safe…