Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 21ST June 2023
Good morning – A new report on drought in the western Mediterranean reveals the extent of the water shortage hitting the region. The severe drought is reducing soil moisture and river flows, and stunting plants and crops during their crucial growing season.
Although in the north of Portugal there has been a moderate amount of rain very little has been experienced in the south this year so far. A new report by the Copernicus Global Drought Observatory makes sombre reading.
It states that most of the western Mediterranean is now under warning and alert conditions (the two most severe levels) according to the combined drought indicator, which integrates data on rainfall, soil moisture and vegetation stress anomalies to map drought hazards.
The lack of water has significantly affected vegetation and crops in the middle of the growing season, leading to delayed sowing and low yield forecasts. Severe vegetation stress (for example failed crops and smaller fruits) was recorded across the Iberian Peninsula (except for northern Portugal), northern Africa, and central-southern France.
It adds, based on the present drought situation and predictions, that if widespread warmer-than-averages temperatures and the lack of rain continue, the situation could become more critical still.
The JRC scientists also note that next summer currently has a high risk of water resources reaching a critical state, making it important to closely monitor the situation and plan and implement water management and drought adaptation measures in the region.
In other words if the situation in the south of Portugal continues then we could well see more restrictions in place. It would be speculation to suggest what these maybe beyond that already announced, but it is known that some “private householder boreholes” have dried up meaning that householders need to seek alternative water supplies. For those in rural areas often this means purchasing water, delivered by water trucks – but where do they get their water from – answer often boreholes!!
This illustrates the importance of firstly conserving water; having extensive lawns with irrigation systems is something that is not conducive to the economic use of water! For those moving to Portugal, how many people consider water supply? Unless you are going to live in a town, for those choosing rural areas without a direct water supply, then in our view it is best not to take it for granted that a constant water supply will always be available to a level that may fit your needs, This especially so if you wish to have a swimming pool, irrigation etc. Something to think about – but more importantly plan for!
With the summer season upon us and with the recently announced Safe Summer reinforcement measures in place by the security forces (15th June to 15th September), it is important, that we do not let our guard down concerning the safeguarding of our property. Portugal is one of the safest countries in the world, with a relatively low “reported” crime level, but this has not come about by accident. This because of the crime prevention programs in place both by the police and organisations such as Safe Communities, which help create public awareness and a reminder to look after your possessions.
Speaking with police here is Lisbon and the Algarve recently, it was clear that opportunist crime and theft from vehicles are two of the highest crimes, but are easiest to prevent. If people left vehicles on display in vehicles and their windows opened in their houses when unoccupied, we would quickly end up with a spiralling level of crime, which would deter investors moving here as well as tourists.
With that our Editorial team: Susan, Mike, Chris, Daniel and I wish you a safe week ahead. Take care with the increasing temperatures.
News
Ceremony honouring the victims takes place on the 27th at the memorial in Pedrógão Grande
Porto de Mós, Leiria, 20 June 2023 (Lusa) – The tribute ceremony for the victims of the 2017 fires will take place on the 27th, at 5:00 pm, next to the memorial in Pedrógão Grande, the president of the Intermunicipal Community of the Region of Leiria (CIMRL).
“It is not exactly an inauguration, because the monument is already open. It will be a ceremony to visit the space and where tribute will be paid to the victims of the 2017 fires”, said Gonçalo Lopes, also mayor of Leiria, in Porto de Mós, where a meeting of intermunicipal communities is taking place today.
According to the president of CIMRL, the initiative will be attended by members of the Government, such as the Prime Minister, António Costa, and the Minister of Territorial Cohesion, Ana Abrunhosa, mayors of the affected regions, the Association of Victims of the Fire of Pedrógão Grande, other entities linked to the social and associative area of these councils, the author of the memorial, architect Souto Moura, and population.
The Memorial to the Victims of the 2017 Forest Fires, located next to National Road 236-1, in the Pobrais area, Pedrógão Grande, was opened on Thursday without any public ceremony honouring the victims of the June and October 2017 forest fires. The absence of state figures provoked criticism from various quarters.
Designed by the architect Souto Moura, the memorial, an investment of 1.8 million euros, includes a lake with an area of around 2,500 square meters, fed by a gargoyle 60 meters long, bordered by a strip of plants consisting of white water lilies, lilies and buttercups.
According to Infraestruturas de Portugal, owner of the work, “the memorial also includes, as a fundamental piece, a wall with the inscription of the name of each of the 115 people who were victims of the forest fires of June and October 2017”.
Gonçalo Lopes said that the CIMRL is “finalizing a protocol with Infraestruturas de Portugal”, according to which that first entity will be “responsible for maintaining the monument”.
“Naturally, we are thus also involved in this important moment in which we now have increased responsibility in management”, he declared.
ChatGPT technology will manage 112 service in 2025
The project, which is still at an early stage, is based on technology that is still “very recent”, warns António Pombeiro. For this reason, there is a “need to do a lot of testing”, following a path that is “very unknown”.
Artificial intelligence based on ChatGPT technology will manage calls to 112 from 2025 onwards in times of congestion, the Deputy Secretary General of Internal Affairs, António Pombeiro, told journalists in Porto this Tuesday.
“In principle, if the pilot goes well, we are prepared for, from 2025, to start using” the system to answer calls, António Pombeiro told journalists this Tuesday, on the side lines of MAI Tech, a technology conference in the areas of security and civil protection, promoted by the Ministry of Internal Administration (MAI) in Porto.
The official warned that, for the time being, a pilot project was being worked on and it was “a very recent technology “, with the “need to carry out many tests “, admitting that for the time being “a lot of unknowns” were being examined.
“In certain situations we have waiting periods motivated by call congestion, this is when there are incidents or events that involve a lot of publicity, a lot of people visualizing what is happening, everyone has the initiative to call 112”, contextualized the António Pombeiro, giving the example of urban fires.
As the resources are ” sized for normal situations “, generating waiting times for calls that ” can reach five or six minutes “, the idea is ” to create a first interface that answers the call, evaluates what kind of problem it is whether you are dealing with and what kind of reporting ” is needed, but with ” a natural language response”.
According to the Deputy General Secretary for Home Affairs, ” the caller himself will not realize that he is talking to a system, a machine, a robot “, which will ” use the new ChatGPT technology “, which will still go through a testing period with simulated calls.
“The second player must always be a human. The system never takes the call to the end”, assured António Pombeiro, clarifying that the system will work “only in times of greater congestion”.
Asked whether the idea is to replace people, the Deputy Secretary General of Internal Affairs rejected it, saying that it involves “strengthening operational means “, since it is always necessary to have a human in the rear.
As for false calls (to deceive or for purposes other than emergencies), which he said were around 60%, “a very high number” that does not affect service, the person in charge said that this situation “already lacks a different learning “, but “it is also an objective”of the new project.