Azores Situation Report Wednesday 2nd November 2022
From our colleague in the Azores
Covid-19
In the seven days from Friday 21st of October until Thursday 27th of October there were 55 new positive cases of Covid-19 registered in the Azores, and a total of 1,482 tests performed. 83 people have recovered, and no new deaths have been recorded with the total at 118. There are 109 active cases, 28 fewer than the previous week.
There are 6 patients in the region’s hospitals as of 28th of October with Covid, three of which are in hospital because of Covid. There are no patients in the ICU.
121198 people in the region have had Covid, that’s over 50% of the population.
Privatization of SATA Internacional foreseen in the 2023 Azores Budget
The privatization of the majority of SATA International’s capital is foreseen in the Azores budget proposal for 2023.
The “divestment of a controlling interest (51%) in Azores Airlines” is foreseen in the restructuring plan for the Azorean airline approved in June by the European Commission.
The Regional Budget for 2023 stipulates that, within the scope of the sale of SATA International, a special committee must be set up to monitor the respective process, which will be extinguished with its expiry, as well as the preparation of a “risk prevention plan”. of corruption”.
Through the legislative decree, the regional government is also “authorized to sell the shareholdings it holds in affiliated entities, with the exception of sectors considered strategic for the Autonomous Region of the Azores and of primary need for the populations”.
Ribeira Quente: 25 years ago, landslides caused the death of 29 people
It is 25 years since one of the geomorphological instability events that caused the highest number of fatalities and substantial material damage in the Azores.
After a particularly rainy month of October, in the early hours of October 31st, 1997, there was an episode of extremely intense rainfall that, together with strong winds from the southeast quadrant, particularly affected the municipalities of Povoação and Nordeste, Island of São Miguel. Throughout the island, numerous slope movements were triggered, most of which were very fluid detrital drains, the most serious of which occurred in the parish of Ribeira Quente, in the municipality of Povoação, causing the death of 29 people, seven injured and 69 displaced.
Several houses and bridges were partially or totally destroyed, basic infrastructure such as electricity, water supply and telecommunications were interrupted or damaged, and fertile land for various uses was covered by mud. Most of the island’s main roads were affected by landslides, and Ribeira Quente was isolated for more than 12 hours, due to its only access being impassable. Losses of around 21 million euros were estimated.