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Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 10^th January 2024

Good morning. A very changeable week as far as the weather is concerned. The start of the month was wet and relatively cool, followed by a few days of colder and dryer weather, then yesterday and today much warmer, and then from later today the expected arrival of the polar air mass which is forecast to bring temperatures as low as minus -7C in some areas of the north. The temperature variation has been pronounced, with temperatures yesterday some 5 – 6C higher than Monday.

Related to this was the social media debate on whether or not the IPMA yellow level snow warning of 2cms of snow at 600/800 metres was justified in the two districts concerned. Meteo Trás os Montes FB group – pointed out that there were no models to justify the issuing of this warning. The ECMWF forecast charts (used by IPMA) did clearly showed snow in Bragança and Vila Real districts, but at depths less than 2 cms and without the above sea level specified.  On checking the IPMA criteria for the issue of snow warnings below 1000 metres, the criteria is 1 – 5 cms in depth. Snow did in fact fall above 1000 metres in several areas in the extreme north east, but not at lower levels.

It is always a difficult to get forecasting spot on as there are so many factors and last minute variables involved. Under estimating immediately invites criticism and could put lives in danger – over estimating runs the risk that citizens do not value warnings when it is really necessary.

On Monday we reported that the Portuguese Environment Agency hopes to present a contingency plan this month for new water consumption rules in the Algarve, which is experiencing the worst drought on record. Speaking to Lusa, APA vice-president José Pimenta Machado admitted that the contingency plan will penalize agriculture more, but the quotas have not yet been defined and will be coordinated with local entities.

He added that this year, in the Algarve, is going through the worst drought ever, with the lowest levels of reservoir reserves ever and the same thing in groundwater”, a “consequence of ten years of drought”. In response the president of the Algarve Intermunicipal Community (AMAL), António Miguel Pina, stated that the situation is very worrying. We are close to a catastrophic situation and we have to start saving water seriously”. Safe Communities has regularly pointed out that everyone needs to do more to conserve water. This issue has dragged on for far too long and with the effects of climate change already being felt, and possibly worse to come, immediate action is needed. We await the announcement and details of the water consumption rules.

Also to do with water we learned yesterday that Spain had decided to raise the alert level on the coast of Galicia and Asturias after a “flood” of pellets – micro plastics in the sea. According to information released by the Spanish government, the owner of the boat that on December 8th lost containers of the cargo it was transporting, 80 kilometres from Viana do Castelo, said that more than a thousand bags containing around 26.2 tons of these balls (known as nurdles) with around five millimetres in diameter, used to manufacture plastics and which are now washing up on the coast in northern Spain. The Portuguese authorities are currently closely following the case, which could become problematic.

Nurdles pose a great threat to marine life. These small round plastics usually float on the surface of the water where many species feed. They’re easily mistaken for fish eggs and other foods by a variety of species, including turtles, fish and seabirds.

Lastly with the forecast of very cold conditions over the next two days, we remind everyone of the need to following closely warnings issued by the IPMA and ANEPC which are for everyone’s safety.  After the rain today any sudden change to sub-zero temperature is likely to makes roads as well as pavements treacherous. It is important to help those who maybe be vulnerable especially those with mobility disabilities in such conditions.

Our team wish you a safe week ahead.

 News:

Doctor suspected of selling “falsified” death certificates arrested

The Judicial Police arrested a 65-year-old doctor in Faro on suspicion of selling death certificates without verifying the causes of death to two Algarve funeral homes that were, this Tuesday, the target of searches.

According to information collected by JN, the scheme allowed the quick resolution of funeral ceremonies, in exchange for financial compensation. Between 2021 and 2022, the doctor will have received around 80 euros for each death certificate and the Faro PJ investigation is still investigating the number of falsified certificates that were issued.

The documents were passed remotely, without the doctor going to the place where the dead were, namely in the areas of Faro and Loulé. Thus, the causes of death were never verified.

According to the PJ, the certificates were issued “without the practice of any act that ensures prior effective knowledge of the cause of death, upon receipt of economic compensation and with the aim of preventing the intervention of the judicial authorities or the performance of the autopsy medico-legal”.

In searches of the doctor’s office and residence, as well as the two funeral homes, the PJ seized computers and documentation that will now be analysed.

The doctor, suspected of the crime of corruption, must be taken to the first judicial interrogation this Wednesday, at the Court of Faro.

Portugal Safety and Security report Wednesday 3^rd January 2024

Good morning and Happy New Year to you.  Unfortunately it was far from being a time to celebrate in Japan with a major 7.6 Mag earthquake occurring on New Year’s Day that has so far cost the lives of at least 48 people, with many reported missing.

The earthquake resulted in a tsunami, but this was localised and is not known to have resulted in further casualties. Resulting from the earthquake there was a fire that resulted in 200 buildings being destroyed as well as mud slips. Over the next few days and weeks it is likely that the deaths from the last earthquake in Japan will climb as emergency services search                                                       collapsed buildings and infrastructure.

Japan is at very high risk of earthquakes and a great deal has been invested in terms of resilience to reduce the impact. Compare the number of casualties with that of the 7.8 Mag earthquake in Turkey/Syria and the 6.8 Mag earthquake in Morocco last year which resulted in 58,000 deaths and nearly 3000 deaths respectively, countries where building construction codes are not to such a high standard.

However these earthquakes in terms of intensity do not come close to the 2011 Mag 9.1 earthquake and tsunami in Japan which resulted in the death of around 18,500 to 20,000 people. The accompanying tsunami sped quickly across the Pacific and affected the shores of North America (2.7-metres) and some 18 hours after the quake, waves roughly 0.3 metre, reached Antarctica. The 2011 earthquake has been estimated by seismic experts at around 40 times stronger than the current earthquake, so you can only imagine how devastating this was.

Although Portugal is at risk of earthquakes we have been fortunate so far but early warnings of tsunamis are vitally important, as tsunamis can occur a long way off shore.  The above also illustrates the importance of creating resilient communities the reduce the impact of such disasters.

Immediately after the latest earthquake with a maximum seismic intensity of 7.6 was observed in the Noto region of Ishikawa Prefecture, information about the actual damage and requests for rescue were posted on X, but misinformation and disinformation also spread. Unsubstantiated posts claiming that this earthquake was caused “artificially” (man-made) are also spreading. Some of the false information has been viewed more than 1 million times using videos unrelated to the earthquake, such as a video of a Japan Meteorological Agency press conference when North Korea conducted a nuclear test in the past.

Immediately after the quake, videos purportedly showing the damage, as well as rescue requests from people claiming to be trapped under collapsed buildings, were posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. NHK has verified that some of the posts contain fake information. Some posts calling for help included non-existent addresses or unrelated videos. Some of the footage showed the tsunami that hit Japan after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. One such post has been viewed more than one million times.

This issue of “misinformation” and “disinformation” was rife during Covid-10 pandemic, and is something to be aware of during major disasters. This applies to Portugal as well as overseas countries.

Japan has had a bad start to the New Year, when yesterday an aircraft carrying nearly 400 passengers collided with a Japan coast guard aircraft with six people on board, during landing at Haneda airport Tokyo, bursting into flames before it came to a stop. A very quick and effective response by the airport emergency teams managed to evacuate all the passengers with just 17 injuries. Those board the coast guard plane were not so fortunate with five dead and the Captain with serious injuries.

Some people may question why we “report on such topics where our primary focus is for those living in Portugal or visiting the country. The reason is clear from the “About Us” section on our Facebook page which states “We provide information and advice for residents in Portugal and visitors to the country, not only of local news, but also any overseas news concerning major incidents on topics within our safety and security remit, which could affect residents travelling to those countries or who may have relatives and friends overseas who could be affected”. I hope that clarifies the position for those in any doubt.

With that our team at Safe Communities Portugal wish you all A Very Happy and Safe New year

News

Earth at maximum speed and closest to the Sun on Wednesday

Wednesday is the day in 2024 when the Earth will be closest to the Sun, the so-called perihelion, which coincides with the planet’s highest orbital speed, reaching 30.3 kilometres per second, according to the North American website EarthSky.

On this date, the Earth will be around 3% closer to the Sun, just over 147 million kilometres, that is, around five million kilometres less than at aphelion, when the distance is greater, at the beginning of July. The average distance is around 150 million kilometres.

The Earth describes an elliptical orbit of 930 kilometres and the orbital speed is lower the greater the distance from the Sun and greater when the distance is smaller.

Thus, the current speed is around one kilometre per second faster than when the planet is further away from the central star of the solar system, says EarthSky.

Woman found dead inside a well in Figueira da Foz

A 74-year-old woman was found dead this Tuesday in a well in the town of Ribas, in the municipality of Figueira da Foz, a Civil Protection source told the Lusa agency

“Upon our arrival, the victim was inside the well and we proceeded to extract the victim, which was then assisted by the VMER [Emergency and Reanimation Medical Vehicle], which confirmed the death”, added a source from the Sapadores Firefighters of Figueira da Foz.

According to the same source, the Figueira da Foz Sapadores responded to an alert for a woman who had fallen into a well, not knowing at the time whether she was “alive or not”.

According to a source from the Sub-Regional Emergency and Civil Protection Command of the Coimbra Region, the alert was given at 11.54 am, with a total of 13 operatives on the ground, supported by five vehicles, including Sapadores, Cruz Vermelha, GNR and INEM.

Comment

Although the circumstances of this tragic death are unknown, Safe Communities reminds well owners to make their wells safe by ensuring they are covered in accordance with the law. Unfortunately despite enforcement action taking place in some municipalities many still remain uncovered.

Portugal Safety and Security Report Friday 29^th December 2023

Good morning everyone, I hope everyone had an enjoyable and safe Christmas. Now that is behind us we focus our attention on New Year’s eve – with some celebrating at home, others out at parties, vising family and friends, or travelling overseas to celebrate. Whatever your plans are, safety is something that we should remember and pay attention to in order to ensure we have an enjoyable time.

In the lead up to the festive period there was an intensive campaign utilizing social media, and radio/television to try and drive home these messages concerning the effects of drink driving in particular and use of mobile phones and excess speed being the main causes of fatal accidents. The theme “The Best Gift is Being Present”, showing the effect on families resulting from the loss of a family member through a road accident, was in my view well thought out and appropriate.

The results are disappointing therefore, with the National Road Safety Authority recording, between 15 and 26 December, 4,852 accidents, resulting in 17 deaths, four more than in the same period last year, and more than 1,400 injuries. During the Christmas period this year there were 307 fewer accidents than in the same period of 2022. However, the total number of accidents resulted in 1,492 injuries, 137 more than in the same period last year.

Remember, the main cause of fatal accidents are: drink driving, use of mobile phones and speeding. Police will be intensifying their deployments and enforcement action over New Year’s Eve and Day focusing on drivers who break the law, putting themselves, passengers and other road users at risk.

Within the scope of Operation Security Holidays 2023/2024, the PSP, taking into account its exclusive competence in the licensing, control and supervision of explosives, has undertaken, various operations to combat the illicit sale of fireworks, so far resulting in the seizure of more than three thousand pyrotechnic articles. There are tight regulations regarding the purchase and use of fireworks in Portugal, so please follow them.

As in the lead up to the New Year, there are several scams to be wary of, including unexpected money or winnings, fake charities, dating and romance, fake buying or selling offers, jobs and investments, attempting to gain personal information, remote access scams and threats and extortion. Advice is: Do not click on links or open attachments from people you do not know; never reply or provide personal detail; use a strong password different for each account or service.

Beware that scam charity emails and websites may use logos and branding that look nearly identical to those of real charities. Always check that a website is legitimate before donating, or better yet, approach a charity organisation directly to donate or offer support.

If you are out and about attending events, we strongly advise that you plan ahead and leave plenty of time to get there, particularly if you are driving as road and parking restrictions may well be in place, especially in Lisbon and Porto. This also avoids rushing to an event with an increased risk of road accidents. Always follow the directions of authorities on the ground and, of course, do not drink and drive.  If you are attending events take extra care of your property, and beware that pickpockets do operate in some areas.

If you are passing through airports again leave plenty of time for check-in.  PSP remind travellers to not leave sight of your baggage and to store valuable items in securely. Always label luggage with your place of destination and ensure of course it is locked. Remember beforehand to check your passport has not expired!

A reminder that the Government decided to grant a day off on 2nd January to workers who perform public functions in the State, so government offices and post offices will be closed.

Whilst we enjoy ourselves with the New Year Festivities, there are many in the emergency services, who are on duty away from their families: such as nurses and doctors caring for the sick in hospital; police dealing with crime, fire-fighters and INEM dealing with road accidents; emergency personnel manning the 112 control centres; maritime police on patrol on the high seas and many, many others. Let’s give our thanks to all those in the emergency services who have worked so hard and in extremely difficult conditions putting the safety of others above their own.

It has been a very busy year for our team at Safe Communities and we look forward to the challenges 2024 will bring. I am sure there will be many. Have a great New Year.

News

Drought, fires and rising temperatures are the worst events of the year for Quercus

Lisbon, 28 December 2023 (Lusa) – Quercus (Centro Associativo do Calhau Bairro do Calhau Parque Florestal de Monsanto) chooses the drought, large fires and the rise in global temperatures as the worst environmental facts of the year and, on a positive note, highlights the creation of more protected marine areas and the mobilization of civil society.

In a note released today, the environmental association also points out expectations for 2024, highlighting the result of the climate summit, from which a final text emerged that directly alludes to the end of fossil fuels.

“It is now important to advance coherent measures towards this objective in a balanced way, respecting the capacity to renew the planet’s resources”, he considers.

From the group of the six worst environmental facts of 2023, in addition to the major fires, such as the one in Odemira, the drought and the increase in global temperatures, Quercus points to the felling of trees in the name of the energy transition and the approval, by the European Commission, of the glyphosate herbicide for another 10 years.

“This decision is surprising given the growing scientific evidence of the health risks of glyphosate, namely that the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified glyphosate as carcinogenic to animals and probably carcinogenic to humans”, considers Quercus, remembering that, in Portugal, “the highest level of contamination in a sample” was detected, 30 times above the legal limit for each substance.

The wars in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip are also highlighted as the worst environmental events of the year, with environmentalists remembering that, to the humanitarian drama, there are added environmental impacts due to destruction in the territory, greenhouse gas emissions and consumption of resources for the war effort.

On the positive side, Quercus highlights four best environmental facts of 2023: the growing mobilization of civil society for environmental issues; the creation of more marine protected areas in the Azores; the declaration of unfavorable environmental impact of the Estoi photovoltaic plant project, in the Algarve, and the creation of the European Alliance for Regenerative Agriculture.

As wishes for next year, the association refers to the need to move forward with “coherent measures” to end fossil fuels, as defined at COP 28, in Dubai,

“In particular, in our country, and despite the delays in their preparation, municipal Climate Action Plans can be opportunities for this objective in processes that are as participatory and collaborative as possible”, he considers.

Among Quercus’ expectations for 2024 are also the improvement of ecosystem conservation and restoration policies, “by updating the scientific knowledge of fauna populations published in 2023” and better performance in waste management, the implementation of structural measures to face to water scarcity, especially in the south of the country.

The new Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), namely organisms obtained by new genomic techniques (NGT) and the increase in environmental litigation, with the “predictable resort to legal actions” in various matters, are also among Quercua’s expectations for the next year.

Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 20^th December 2023

Good morning – Well only 5 days to Christmas and whereas it is unlikely it will be a white Christmas it may well be cold in some parts of the mainland. This week we have seen the lowest minimum temperatures so far at – minus 7.1C at Sabugal in Guarda District and yesterday morning 54 IPMA Online weather stations out of a total of 135 showing temperatures at 0800 hrs at OC or below. This is especially being felt in the valleys and more sheltered areas.

The social media predictions that Portugal would experience the highest ever atmospheric pressure (which is influencing this very dry, clear and cold weather) did not come to fruition falling well short of the record of 2015 of 1054.

With such cold weather it is important to keep warm both indoors and those working outdoors. One of the greatest risks indoors is carbon monoxide poisoning and we frequently give advice on this topic. During the cold weather there are certain precautions to take when it comes to protecting from low temperatures. Many domestic accidents are due to the effect of carbon monoxide, a toxic gas which is odourless and colourless. Reminders from the ANEPC are: not to try and keep warm using appliances intended for other uses: such as grills etc… ; keep the room ventilated; not to store gas bottles in basements or near heat sources; before you go to bed or leave the house, check if you have turned off the heating equipment; avoid sleeping next to heating equipment and to Install a carbon monoxide alarm.

Turning to overseas, it has been a tragic week with the earthquake in China that has resulted in the death of over 130 people from a 6.3 Magnitude earthquake. Although not particularly high (there are an average of 150 earthquakes of Mag 6 each year) the impact would have been greater due to the fact it was very shallow (10 kilometres) and many of the buildings were poorly constructed, as we saw in the earthquakes in Morocco, Turkey and Syria earlier this year.

Certain areas of Portugal are at high risk of earthquakes and whereas most buildings these days are constructed taking into account seismic risk, older buildings are not. In the event of an earthquake of similar magnitude, there would likely be extensive damage the number of casualties depending on the time of day. Earthquakes occurring overnight tend to have a higher number of casualties. It is important therefore in planning resilient communities this matter is addressed, by providing incentives and assistance in order to improve the safety standards of older residences, as many owners (themselves probably elderly) cannot afford to do so themselves.

With a week away from Christmas a reminder to avoiding drinking a driving. The ANSR (Road Safety Authority) GNR and PSP have launched awareness campaigns of the dangers of drink driving and will be following this up with enforcement action. Another campaign the police are undertaking is the safety of business over the holiday period, by advising owners/managers particular of bars to take care of cash holdings as takings (hopefully) will likely be much higher.

 Protecting your property and its contents from thieves is another priority and there is much owners can do to give the property an “occupied feel” if you going away for a few days as well as it is not exposed to “opportunist crime” when you go out. Keeping some lights on, a radio playing music, windows not left open and of course doors closed and locked, will help reduce break-ins. Concerning lights we would advise for safety reasons not to leave Christmas Tree lights switch on when the property is occupied. Read more of our safety tips on our Facebook posts in the coming days.

Our gratitude to all the security forces and civil protection agents who have worked hard, sometimes away from their family for extended periods, in keeping us safe throughout the year. There will be many working on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day attending to emergencies as well as providing vital services, ranging from health care to dealing with, traffic accidents and keeping our communities safe

Although the 12 Days of Christmas traditionally starts on 25^th December Safe Communities Portugal is launching it from today in the form of its safety campaign covering both Christmas and New Year’s Eve periods. Based on the song “Twelve Days of Christmas”, the Campaign provides advice over the 12 days ending 31^st December.

Our team at Safe Communities wish you ALL a very happy and Safe Christmas

News

MAI presents a “medium and long-term political agreement” on forest reform

Lisbon, 19 December 2023 (Lusa) – The Minister of Internal Administration today presented “a medium and long-term political agreement” between the main political parties on the ongoing forest reform and the fight against forest fires.

At the presentation ceremony of the final report of the group of experts that analysed the 2022 rural fires, which took place eight months after it was released, José Luís Carneiro stated that the ongoing policies for forest reform take “at least the time of a generation” and which require “a medium and long-term political agreement between the main political parties with seats in the Assembly of the Republic”.

“It is not possible to have policies for three or four years and then be permanently breaking lines of work, which has very harmful effects on the effort to spend resources”, he explained, considering that it is necessary to continue the current policy of reforming the forest.

If this “political agreement” does not happen, there is a risk, according to José Luís Carneiro, “of all the efforts that are made – and which are many and expensive – being lost and destroyed due to the lack of continuity in policies”.

In September 2022, the Government set up a panel of 32 experts and scientists to independently analyse the responses given to the large rural fires recorded in 2022, such as the fire in Serra da Estrela.

The report was released on April 13, but only today did the Government decide to make a public presentation of the conclusions and recommendations proposed by the experts, in a ceremony in which the Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, Elvira Fortunato, was also present.

 “The document is ready now and that was when it was possible to put the book in the public domain and what better way than to do so in the facilities and auditorium of the Ministry of Higher Education”, he said, maintaining that “the most important thing is that 12 of the approximately of 30 recommendations made by experts were incorporated into the 2023 firefighting strategy”.

Among the recommendations already introduced, José Luís Carneiro highlighted that this year “all resource projection times in the theatre of operations” were reduced, reducing re-ignitions by 50%.

Regional multidisciplinary teams were also created and training and coordination between air and ground resources were improved.

The minister also said that “there is still a lot to do”, with “the most important” being the reform of the National Firefighters School, which must “seek to incorporate the knowledge that is produced by all research centers and the knowledge produced by experts”, in addition to sharing within the framework of the European Union.

The document, published on April 13 on the website of the Agency for the Integrated Management of Rural Fires (AGIF), presents a set of recommendations in the areas of prevention, combat and organization, management of large fires and protection of populations after an analysis of fires Serra da Estrela, Murça and Vila Pouca de Aguiar Ourém, Ansião and Leiria and Albergaria-a-Velha.

In the report, experts criticized “the option of multiplying human resources” in different entities and question the mobilization of a large number of combat resources, which sometimes presents “deficient preparation or leadership”.

The experts also argued that the professionalization of volunteer firefighters should be encouraged, especially the elements that make up the Permanent Intervention Teams and command staff.

The experts also consider that the damage caused by forest fires should be calculated at the “parish scale and not the municipality scale”.

According to the document, the criteria defined by the Government to assess losses “are not adequate”, as they benefit municipalities with small areas and do not cover “fires that hit a parish in a municipality with a large surface area”.