The Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 4th September 2024
– Mike Evans
A very good day to you all. As we reach the end of summer according to many, there are a number of issues which are affecting the Algarve and are in one sense fairly unique to the region. The major issue continues to be the water situation. The latest figures show that the reservoirs which feed the region have dropped significantly over the past month. The amount of water stored in river basins has fallen across almost the entire country, including in the south of the country, according to the National Water Resources Information System data, the amount of water stored fell in August in 11 river basins and rose in one (Lima), compared to the last day of the previous month.
In the Barlavento Algarve river basin , the amount of water retained fell from 19% in July to 16.7% in August. This basin continues to be the one with the lowest amount of water reserves. According to SNIRH data, the Arade basin was at 34.8% at the end of August (37.7% in July). The amount of water also dropped in the Mira basin from 39.4% (in July) to 38.4% in August.
On the last day of August, the Guadiana (79.5%), Oeste (76.9%), Cávado (75.7%), Mondego (73.6%) and Douro (68.1%) basins had the highest volume of water. The August 2024 storages by river basin were higher than the August storage averages (1990/91 to 2022/23), except in the Lima, Tejo, Mira, Ribeiras do Algarve and Arade basins. Of the 58 monitored reservoirs, 10 had water availability above 80% of the total volume and another 15 below 40%. It is obvious that we all need to do more to preserve water and we can but hope that the rains come sooner rather than later.
Another issue on the minds of the people in the Faro region is safety. Renowned for its beaches, mild climate and as a tourist industry, the city faces a growing challenge that threatens the safety and well-being of residents and visitors: the lack of policing. This problem has raised concerns among locals, business owners and tourists, who feel increasingly vulnerable to a possible increase in crime. The district of Faro, divided into 16 municipalities and 84 parishes, has seen its population increase significantly, especially during the peak tourist season. However, the police force has not increased at the same rate, leading to an overload of available officers. The Police Professionals’ Trade Union Association (ASPP/PSP) and other trade unions have warned of the lack of human resources in the region’s security forces, especially during the summer.
According to PORDATA data, the “Personnel serving in the police and other bodies supporting investigation”, namely Public Security Police (PSP) agents and soldiers of the National Republican Guard (GNR), in 1993 there were 18,440 PSP agents, rising to 21,924 in 2022. However, the GNR did not have positive records. Despite having 24,102, in the same year, it lost 1,659 agents in around 30 years.
The shortage of police officers has negative impacts, including an increase in crime. Recently, there have been reports of several incidents in the Oura area of Albufeira, which has been regularly reported due to the clashes and disturbances that have been occurring, especially at this time of year. With these issues in mind the inauguration of the Video Surveillance cameras in Faro have come at the right time for residents. There are already cameras operating in Olhao and Portimao and the first arrests from the use of the cameras in Faro came in the past week.
Now a look at some of the other stories that have happened in the last 7 days across the region.
Collision between vehicles leaves four injured in Aljezur
Four people were injured this Tuesday, two of them seriously, as a result of a collision between two light vehicles on the National Road (EN) 120, in Rogil , in Aljezur, said a source from Civil Protection. According to the Algarve Regional Emergency and Civil Protection Command, the accident occurred at 1:46 pm, forcing the interruption of traffic on that road, which has since been reestablished, in the Feiteirinha area, in the parish of Rogil, in Aljezur.
According to the same source, the seriously injured are two women, aged 32 and 59, who were transported by helicopter from the National Institute of Medical Emergency ( INEM ) to the Faro unit of the Algarve University Hospital Centre (CHUA). The causes of the collision between the two vehicles “are unknown and are being investigated” by the GNR’s Traffic Accident Criminal Investigation Unit (NICAV), he pointed out.
The assistance and rescue operations involved a total of 26 members of the Aljezur Volunteer Firefighters, INEM and GNR, supported by nine vehicles and a helicopter.
Second suspect of robbery and kidnapping in Portimão arrested
The Judicial Police ( PJ ) arrested on Wednesday the second suspect of a robbery and kidnapping committed at a residence in Portimão, on Saturday, a crime for which the authorities had already made a first arrest, announced that police corporation.
This second arrest resulted from investigations carried out by the Criminal Investigation Department of the PJ of Portimão, which considers that it has collected evidence that demonstrates the practice of a crime of “qualified robbery and kidnapping”, with two victims, who were in the residence when the detainees entered.
“The suspect, in co-authorship with another man, whose arrest was reported yesterday [Tuesday] by this Police, had arranged to meet two women at their home and, under threat of a knife, with the intention of robbing them, ended up handcuffing them and isolating them in one of the rooms of the house”, described the PJ in a statement. The Judiciary highlighted that one of the men then remained to watch the victims while the other searched for valuables around the house, where he ended up finding and stealing “a large amount of money and an electronic device”.
The man arrested today, aged 39, has a history of drug trafficking and will still be brought before the court for his first judicial interrogation and the application of any coercive measures, added the criminal police body. On Tuesday, the PJ announced the arrest of a first suspect of having kidnapped two women during a robbery at a home in Portimão, carried out under threat of a knife and during which the victims were tied up and covered over their mouths.
The PJ said at the time that the detainee, aged 35, had acted in collaboration with another man, whose arrest was carried out today by the criminal police body. The Judiciary then said that the facts dated back to last Saturday, when the two men arranged to meet at the women’s house and, under threat of a knife, handcuffed them “with clamps on their wrists” and covered their mouths “with adhesive tape”. The perpetrators then forced the women to “stay in the bathroom” while they searched for and stole valuables inside the residence.
273 counterfeit items seized in VRSA
Police authorities seized 273 counterfeit items in Vila Real de Santo António, during inspections carried out in the towns of Monte Gordo and Manta Rota, announced the GNR .
During the inspections carried out, the GNR detected counterfeit products in “three establishments” and also in “street vendors, who were also selling” these products in the two bathing areas of the municipality of Vila Real de Santo António, the GNR said in a statement. Among the material seized were 128 football club shirts, 33 towels, 28 caps, 84 pins alluding to football clubs, listed the security force, clarifying that four men and one woman, between 35 and 45 years old, were identified, and the facts reported to the Court of Vila Real de Santo António.
AMN and Navy seize three fast boats and identify 11 men
Portuguese authorities seized three high-speed vessels that were south of Portugal, in international waters, and identified 11 suspects, in an operation to combat drug trafficking, it was announced on Saturday, the 31st.
The operation took place between Wednesday and Friday (28 and 30 August), involving the National Maritime Authority (AMN) and the Portuguese Navy, with support in one of the actions from a Portuguese Air Force aircraft , with high-speed pursuits of the suspicious vessels being carried out, the AMN said in a statement. “During the chases, carried out at high speed, one of the suspect vessels, in order to avoid being approached, tried to ram one of the vessels that were chasing it laterally, putting the lives of the Navy personnel at risk , and the accident was avoided at the last moment with evasive manoeuvres,” he stressed. The three vessels – which were crewed by 11 men, seven of Spanish nationality and four of Moroccan nationality – had more than a hundred fuel tanks on board, suspected of being linked to drug trafficking activities.
The vessels were pursued by a Navy ship and two high-speed vessels, one manned by elements of the Maritime Police Tactical Actions Group (GAT) and the other by Marines, AMN added. The suspects, aged between 23 and 68, were subsequently “subjected to the necessary identification procedures and subsequent legal processing formalities”. Since the beginning of 2023, Portuguese authorities have arrested 107 people and seized 41 high-speed vessels, with more than 33 tons of drugs on board.
GNR arrests man for drug trafficking in Silves
A 30-year-old man was arrested last Friday, the 30th, for drug trafficking in Silves, the GNR revealed on Monday.
According to the security forces , the detainee was brought before the Silves Court, having been forced to appear at a police station in his area of residence (Lisbon), prohibited from remaining in Silves and from leaving the area of residence.
The military reported that, following a report of a theft in a commercial establishment, they went to the location, where the suspect was approached, next to his vehicle, and a strong odour of a narcotic product was detected. The GNR seized several objects, including 25 doses of hashish, 18 doses of cannabis, 47.35 grams of MDMA, 40.80 grams of hallucinogenic mushrooms and 4.20 grams of amphetamines.
Albufeira raises awareness in the community about preventing fires and unprotected wells
During the summer , in the months of July and August, the municipality of Albufeira promoted an awareness campaign on how to prevent rural fires and the danger posed by unprotected wells.
The action, which was carried out by the Municipal Civil Protection Service of Albufeira, took place in the monthly/fortnightly markets and in the municipal markets of the municipality with vendors and users of the aforementioned commercial spaces who were very interested and satisfied with the initiative.
“We are building a Resilient City, but to do so we need to count on everyone”, stresses the Mayor of Albufeira, José Carlos Rolo. Regarding rural fires, preventive measures to be taken in cases where homes are located in rural areas were addressed, namely with regard to the necessary and mandatory interventions by law in homes, cleaning of surrounding areas, correct storage of firewood and the care to be taken when burning surpluses. The danger of rural fires and the restrictions on the use of forestry machinery, when the index is above the “High” level, was another of the highlighted topics.
All people approached received a leaflet with detailed information, which advises them to notify the authorities whenever the following situations occur: accumulation of rubbish or dense undergrowth near homes and the presence of people with risky behaviour; if you see the start of a rural fire – call 112 immediately.
With regard to unprotected wells, reference was made to the mandatory existence of a guard or effective cover over all wells, cracks and other irregularities likely to cause disastrous falls to people and animals. It should be remembered that according to the Law (Decree-Law No. 226-A/2007, of May 31), all owners of natural water resources such as wells, wells, boreholes, mines, ponds, dams, reservoirs or septic tanks must request the appropriate authorizations for use from the competent authorities. It should be noted that the Awareness Campaign for the Prevention of Rural Fires and Unprotected Wells aimed to create an effective culture with regard to mechanisms that allow prevention associated with risks.
For more information on water saving, Well maintenance and crime prevention go to our website.
Until the next time Stay Safe.