Azores Situation Report Wednesday 14th August 2024
By our correspondent in the Azores
Video surveillance in the historic centre of Ponta Delgada awaits opinion
The installation of the video surveillance system in the historic centre of Ponta Delgada, on the island of São Miguel, is awaiting the opinion of the National Data Protection Commission, the City Council says.
Azores under yellow warning given forecast of high temperatures
Maximum temperatures can reach 30 degrees and minimum temperatures can be around 24 degrees at night. The problem is that the temperature persists for a long time.
The Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) has placed the islands of the three groups of the Azores under yellow alert due to the forecast of high maximum temperatures between today and Thursday, as reported to the media.
We are expecting maximum temperatures to be around 29 degrees across the archipelago. Occasionally, they could reach 30 degrees in urban areas.
The IPMA indicated in a statement that the warning regarding “persistent high maximum temperature values” is in force between 12:00 today, Tuesday, and 11:00 on Thursday, the 15th, on all islands of the archipelago, in the Eastern, Central and Western groups.
Reopening of closed thermal areas in São Miguel depends on new analyses
The Regional Health Directorate of the Azores said this Friday that the reopening of the three thermal zones on the island of São Miguel, closed since July due to microbiological contamination, is dependent on the results of new analyses.
The thermal areas of Caldeira Velha, Poça da Dona Beija and Parque Terra Nostra, on the island of São Miguel, have been closed since July 26th, by decision of the health authorities, as water analyses showed “positive results for microbiological contamination”.
According to a statement from the Regional Secretariat for Health and Social Security, in July, the Regional Health Directorate (DRS), in conjunction with the health authorities of Ribeira Grande and Povoação, and the Health Unit of Ilha de São Miguel, carried out an environmental investigation with water samples from the three locations.
The laboratory analysis of the collected samples was carried out by the National Institute of Health Doctor Ricardo Jorge (INSA) and, following the known results, the authorities decided to determine the immediate closure, exclude the public from the tank area, carry out a shock disinfection, carry out drainage, cleaning and disinfection of the equipment, among other measures.
After the tanks were filled, new analyses were carried out. The results, known between August 1st and 5th, indicated that the water samples from the Poça da Dona Beija, Parque Terra Nostra and Caldeira Velha pools presented “positive results, but with a significant decrease in the concentration of the previously identified microbiological agent (over 95% reduction)”.
“After a meeting involving several technical entities in the sector, the strategy presented by DRS was unanimously accepted, which is why the tanks were drained, cleaned and disinfected and the third [water] analyses were collected at these locations, on the 6th and 7th of August”.
According to the statement, “the results are expected to be received over the next week”.
“It was also agreed that, if the results continue to decline, it will be possible to reopen these spaces, respecting the rules for their use”, it states.
The DRS praises the “continuous commitment and collaboration of the entities managing the spaces” and highlights that, together with the health authorities of the Azores, “all measures” will be taken to defend Public Health in the region.
The note highlights that these water systems “offer ideal conditions for the colonization, multiplication and dissemination of some microbiological agents, namely bacteria”.