The Government of the Azores created a working group this Friday to assess the damage caused by the fire at the Hospital Divino Espírito Santo (HDES), in Ponta Delgada, and present measures to restore activity in that unit.

In the resolution of the Government Council that declares the situation of regional public calamity, published today in the Official Journal, the Azorean executive (PSD/CDS-PP/PPM) determines the constitution of a working group with elements from various government departments and the administration of HDES.

The working group will present by May 31st a “progress report” on the “typology of procedures and methodology that underlies the inventory of damage and losses caused” by the fire and the “identification of the need to adopt” “reparation measures ” to restore activity in the hospital.

That group will carry out a “substantiated list of dysfunctions caused in the normal functioning of the Regional Health Service” and “identify the material and financial support necessary to restore normal functioning” of HDES.

The working group, which will be chaired by the Secretary of Health and Social Security, assumes the responsibility of “identifying situations in which public expenditure is necessary for the execution of works and the acquisition of goods and services”.

The group, which may have the presence of specialists, also has the role of “overall control and management of the support provided, in accordance with the legally defined criteria in relation to the damages and losses listed”.

The situation of regional public calamity was established in a resolution by the Government Council five days after the president of the Azores executive, José Manuel Bolieiro, announced his declaration.

“The situation of regional public calamity has a regional scope, as it is not restricted only to the infra-municipal territorial area and the implementation of all buildings and infrastructures where, as a whole, the HDES of Ponta Delgada services operate”, reads the resolution.

The fire at the Ponta Delgada hospital, which broke out at 9:40 am local time on Saturday (10:40 am in Lisbon) and was only declared extinguished at 4:11 pm, forced the transfer of all patients who were hospitalized to various locations in the Azores, Madeira and continent.

At the time of the fire, 333 patients were in the health establishment and 240 had to be transferred.

The Government of the Azores announced on Sunday the declaration of a public calamity situation to “accelerate procedures” that allow the activity of the largest Azorean health unit to be normalized in a “short space of time”.

The clinical management announced on Wednesday that the hospital will be slowly reactivated, with the oncology and haemodialysis units expected to resume activity in a phased manner next week.

An accounting of the fire damage has not yet been released.

Drug trafficking network dismantled in São Miguel

The Azores PSP dismantled a drug trafficking network on the island of São Miguel, having arrested five men, aged between 22 and 46, strongly accused of the crime of drug trafficking.

In a statement, the Regional Command of the PSP of the Azores states that following an investigation, led by a Magistrate from the Public Ministry of Ribeira Grande and whose “investigation was carried out by the PSP anti-crime brigade, numerous police measures were carried out, throughout of two years, in order to investigate the contours related to criminal activity, carried out by a network responsible for drug distribution, in different locations, on the island of São Miguel”.

The PSP explains that the trafficking network “had a main person responsible who used the collaboration of three intermediaries to distribute hashish, heroin and synthetic drugs, among a considerable number of drug addicts, residing in Ponta Delgada, Lagoa and Ribeira Grande”.

In view of the evidence collected, a large-scale police operation was mounted, with the “collaboration of the special police unit, PSP of Lisbon, the Police Intervention and Inspection Squadron and with technical-forensic experts, which allowed eight home searches to be carried out and six non-domestic searches, including on mainland territory, made it possible to arrest the suspects, seize hashish, synthetic drugs, monetary amounts, among other items related to the crime under investigation”, says the PSP.

During the different phases of the investigation, several police interventions were carried out which led to “the arrest of another defendant, also responsible for distributing drugs he received from the main person responsible for this criminal cell and is currently serving an effective prison sentence in the prison establishment from Ponta Delgada”.

The defendants will await the remaining phases of the process subject to different coercive measures, and two of them, given the seriousness of their participation in the facts under investigation, were subject to the coercive measure of house arrest, while the main person responsible for the criminal network is in preventive detention.

Navy coordinates rescue of woman off the Azores.

The Portuguese Navy coordinated, on Sunday, the rescue of a woman of French nationality, aged 28, who was on board the sailboat Alabone, with symptoms of seasickness.

According to a statement from the Portuguese Navy, the sailboat was sailing “approximately 250 nautical miles from the island of São Miguel and the passenger was experiencing severe symptoms of seasickness and without the medication having any effect, she was rescued in a carefully planned operation”.

After a medical assessment carried out by the Maritime Emergency Sick Guidance Centre and “determination of immediate rescue, the passenger was initially transferred to the merchant ship OWL 5 which was nearby. This manoeuvre allowed the EH101 helicopter to carry out the extraction without incident at around 11:20 pm.”

The patient was taken to the island of Terceira, and was taken to the Santo Espírito Hospital, where she received medical care.

The operation included collaboration between MRCC Delgada, RCC Lajes, CODUMAR, the sailboat crew and the merchant ship.

Santa Clara will donate proceeds from Sunday tickets to firefighters.

Santa Clara’s SAD announced that tickets for next Sunday’s game, with União de Leiria, will cost one euro per unit, with the total amount of proceeds going to be donated to the Volunteer Firefighters of Ponta Delgada.

The decision intends to honour those who “were among the heroes in resolving the fire at the Hospital do Divino Espírito Santo”, reads a SAD post on social media.

 

Azores Situation Report Wednesday 17th April 2024

Azores with yellow warnings due to rain until Wednesday

The Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) today issued yellow warnings until Wednesday the 17^th April for the nine islands of the Azores, due to forecasts of sometimes heavy rain.

According to IPMA, for the islands of the Western group (Flores and Corvo), the warning of “sometimes heavy precipitation, which may be accompanied by thunderstorms”, will be in force between 5pm local time today (6pm in Lisbon) and to 11:00 on Tuesday.

In the Eastern group (São Miguel and Santa Maria), the warning is valid between 07:00 on Tuesday and 02:00 on Wednesday.

IPMA’s yellow warning due to the forecast of rain “sometimes heavy, which may be accompanied by thunderstorms”, is also in force for the islands of the Central group of the Azores (Faial, Pico, São Jorge, Terceira and Graciosa) from 02:00 to 23 :00 on Tuesday.

The yellow warning, the least serious on a scale of three, is issued whenever there is a risk situation for certain activities depending on the weather situation.

A new life was born aboard an Air Force plane in the Azores.

A baby was born this Monday on board an Air Force plane in the Azores.

According to a statement from the Portuguese Air Force, “the C-295M plane had just taken off from the island of Santa Maria, heading to São Miguel, when a girl decided it was time to be born”, it was around 8:05 am.

Shortly before, the crew of Squadron 502 – “Elefantes”, on permanent alert on the island of Terceira “had been activated to transport a pregnant woman aged 35 years and 35 weeks gestation, with contractions every two minutes”.

The statement further explains that “the future mother boarded accompanied by a civil health team and shortly afterwards the plane took off towards Ponta Delgada, with the pregnant woman entering the final stage of labour. Ten minutes after taking off, the baby was born on board the Air Force plane, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.”

Mother and baby were taken to the local hospital and were found to be in good health.

This is already the fourth birth aboard the Portuguese Air Force’s C-295M aircraft since it entered into operation in 2009 – with two twins born in one of the missions – and the 35th birth aboard Air Force aircraft, with the first occurred on July 13, 1993, on a C-212 Aviocar plane.

 

HDES Cerebrovascular Unit reopened Monday 15^th with a permanent medical team.

Closed since the pandemic, the acute stroke treatment unit reopens today with capacity for four beds and a full-time medical team.

The Cerebrovascular Diseases Unit of the Hospital do Divino Espírito Santo (HDES), in Ponta Delgada, will once again have a physical space in the hospital unit, with capacity for four beds and, for the first time, a team permanent doctor.

Closed since 2020, due to constraints associated with the pandemic, the treatment and monitoring unit for patients with acute stroke reopens today, with “shared” coordination between the Neurology and Internal Medicine services at HDES.

The regional coordinator of Via Verde AVC, Pedro Lopes, explains that the novelty in this reopening of the physical space is the “reinforcement of a medical team dedicated to this cerebrovascular unit and Via Verde do AVC”.

“In practical terms, this means that we always have a medical team dedicated to acute stroke treatment, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, which has never happened in this hospital, nor in any other hospital in the Azores”, he highlights.

According to the neurologist, there are several advantages associated with this reopening.

“First, in the acute treatment of stroke. In the first few hours, after the onset of symptoms, there are treatments that can be carried out, such as fibrinolysis which is carried out in the cerebrovascular diseases unit itself and mechanical thrombectomy which does not exist in the Azores, with patients being referred to Madeira, despite the entire process being triggered in our unit”, he explains.

 “What we achieved with the physical unit and the presence of permanent doctors is faster care for these patients, better monitoring of factors such as blood pressure, blood sugar levels, which are fundamental in the first hours after a stroke and, therefore, , better results and better care provision”.
The doctor also made the point of highlighting that, despite the physical space having been closed since the pandemic, “we never stopped having the unit. It worked with prevention doctors who were called when necessary”, he adds.

Asked about referring users to the Cerebrovascular Diseases Unit at the hospital, Pedro Lopes explains that it all starts with calling 112 and entering the hospital’s emergency room, alerting them to the symptoms of a stroke.

“If you notice stroke symptoms, whether by yourself or other people, such as mouth on one side, lack of strength on one side of the body or difficulty speaking, you should call 112 and explain the situation in as much detail as possible. 112 will oversee directing you to the hospital. When these patients arrive at the hospital, the Via Verde AVC is activated, activating this specific medical team from the Cerebrovascular Diseases Unit and triggering the entire process”, he explains.

 

Seismic crisis in Terceira with abnormal seismicity value only

The ongoing seismic crisis on the island of Terceira, in the Azores, focuses on the Santa Bárbara volcano area, but does not present any abnormal values ​​other than seismicity, said the president of the Seismo-volcaeic Information and Surveillance Centre.

Gabriela Queiroz, from the Azores Seismo-volcaeic Information and Surveillance Centre (CIVISA), explained that, on the island of Terceira, there has been “seismic activity cantered essentially in the area of ​​the Santa Bárbara volcano”, which “has already been seen feeling more intensely since June 2022.”

“We have raised our alert to V2 (possible reactivation of the system — signs of moderate activity) since that time and what we have seen is that this seismic activity has manifested itself in more intense and less intense phases. We are currently in a more intense situation”, says the head of CIVISA.

The Santa Bárbara volcano, on the island of Terceira, is considered an active volcano, having erupted for the last time in 1761, featuring two calderas.

Since June 24th, 2022, seismic activity in the Santa Bárbara volcano has been “above normal reference values”, with scientific alert level V2.

Gabriela Queiroz does not dissociate, “at all, [the crisis] from what has been happening in the archipelago for about two years, or the seismic crisis in São Jorge, and even the activity that has developed to the west of the island of Faial”.

The volcanologist points out that CIVISA’s monitoring systems “do not indicate significant variations in either the deformation of the coast or the release of volcanic gases”, with the parameter that is “clearly above average being seismic activity”.

“We are always monitoring the evolution of the situation in order to eventually detect any sign or not”, points out the volcanologist.

Asked whether there are reasons for concern, Gabriela Queiroz responds that we live in a region “with active volcanic systems”, and we must “be aware of the situation”.

The last earthquake recorded on the island of Terceira, measuring 3.7 on the Richter scale, was recorded on Sunday night with the epicentre southwest of Agualva, on the island of Terceira, according to the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA).

According to IPMA, the earthquake was recorded at the Azores Archipelago Seismic Network stations on Sunday at 11:56 pm, with the epicenter located approximately six kilometers southwest of Agualva.

 

Azores Situation Report Wednesday 3rd April 2024

The search for the missing diver in the sea off Terceira Island resumed on Monday.

The search resumed on Monday afternoon for the diver who has been missing at sea, on the island of Terceira, since March 30th.

According to a statement from the National Maritime Authority, “the search for the diver who has been missing since March 30th, near the Fradinhos islets, on Terceira Island, will resume in the early afternoon of today, April 1st, as soon as conditions meteorological and oceanographic data allow it”.

In the search operations, coordinated by the Port Captain and local Commander of the Maritime Police of Praia da Vitória and Angra do Heroísmo, crew members from the “Lifeguard Station of Praia da Vitória and Angra do Heroísmo and elements of the local Command of the Praia da Vitória Maritime Police, supported by a vessel, as well as a group of voluntary amateur divers from the island’s nautical clubs”.

The AMN press release states that the “Maritime Police Psychology office has been activated and is providing support to the victim’s family and friends”.

“According to what was possible to ascertain, the 43-year-old man was practicing diving and did not return to land”, concludes the AMN note.

Earthquake measuring 2.7 on the Richter scale felt on Terceira Island.

An earthquake measuring 2.7 on the Richter scale, with an epicentre about four kilometres east of Serreta, on the island of Terceira, was felt on the 31^{st of} March at 12:29 (13:29 Lisbon), according to IPMA.

The Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) informs that the event did not cause personal or material damage and was felt with the maximum intensity of III/IV on the modified Mercalli scale, in the parish of Raminho, in Terceira.

According to the Richter scale, earthquakes are classified according to their magnitude as micro (less than 2.0), very small (2.0-2.9), small (3.0-3.9), slight (4 ,0-4.9), moderate (5.0-5.9), strong (6.0-6.9), large (7.0-7.9), important (8.0-8.9 ), exceptional (9.0-9.9) and extreme (when higher than 10).

The Modified Mercalli scale measures “degrees of intensity and respective description”.

With intensity III, considered weak, the shock is felt inside the house and hanging objects swing, perceiving a “vibration similar to that caused by the passage of heavy vehicles”, reveals the IPMA on its website.

 

Azores Situation Report Wednesday 27th March 2024

Three crew members from a sailing boat rescued off the Azores.

The Portuguese Navy rescued three crew members from a Dutch-flagged sailboat, which was adrift 771 nautical miles south of the island of Santa Maria.

According to a statement from the Portuguese Navy, through the Ponta Delgada Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre, “the rescue of three crew members of the sailing ship ‘Norwegian Queen’, flying the flag of the Netherlands, was carried out over the weekend, which was found itself adrift, due to breakdown, four days ago, 771 nautical miles, approximately 1430 kilometres, south of the island of Santa Maria”.

It was the crew who contacted the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Madrid, which passed the case on to the Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre in Ponta Delgada.

The Navy reports that two merchant ships were sent to the location and the three crew members were rescued by the ship “Stena Carron”, on Sunday, at 2:07 pm.

According to the Navy, the crew members “were in good health and are now on board the ship that rescued them, which continues its journey to Guyana, in South America”.

Arrested suspected of murder of foreign citizen on the island of Faial.

On Monday 25^th March , the Judiciary Police, through the Azores Criminal Investigation Department, arrested the alleged murderer of a 49-year-old Cape Verdean citizen, who died following a physical attack at a nightclub in the city of Horta, Faial island, in the early hours of Sunday.

According to a statement from the Judiciary Police, the crime occurred in the context of a “violent argument involving several people, during which the now detained person, an employee of that establishment, allegedly punched the victim, a 49-year-old man, leaving him the unconscious.”

The victim was rescued and transported to Horta Hospital, “where death was declared at 5:30 pm on Monday”.

The PJ also says that the 23-year-old detainee will be brought before the judicial authorities to apply coercive measures.

Search ends for Indonesian crew member off the island of São Miguel

On Sunday, the Portuguese Navy ended the search for the Indonesian crew member off the island of São Miguel who fell into the sea last Friday.

According to a statement, the Portuguese Navy said that through the Ponta Delgada Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC Delgada), it conducted a search and rescue action for an Indonesian crew member of the fishing vessel ‘Garcia Miguel’, who fell into the sea while fishing was underway, approximately 345 miles, the equivalent of 639 kilometres northeast of the island of São Miguel.

The corvette António Enes, sent by the Portuguese Navy, began a search and rescue action at 1:18 pm on Friday.

For 41 hours, even with “adverse weather conditions that were felt at the location”, the vessel moved to the area of ​​operations, with the ship carrying out “searches in the area in addition to the search effort carried out by other merchant ships, under coordination of MRCC Delgada”, indicated the Navy in a statement.

The corvette António Enes remained at the location in search actions for 14 hours longer than the limit for survival of human life at sea, depending on the temperature of the sea water at the location and the environmental conditions observed.

The search for the man ended at 1pm on Sunday, when it was considered “totally impossible” to find the injured crew member alive.

However, the Navy indicates that the warning to navigation will remain in force, alerting all ships and vessels crossing the area to remain alert and report any sightings to the MRCC Delgada.

In addition to the Portuguese Navy, the fishing vessels “Miguel Garcia” and “Estrela de Ancora”, the merchant ships “NIGJING HAI”, “Monte Brasil”, “Euronike”, “OOCL GUANG ZHOU”, “Caribbean Loyalty” were involved in the searches. , “New Haven”, as well as the Navy and Air Force assets on a mission in the Autonomous Region of the Azores, respectively, the NRP António Enes and a C-295 aircraft, from the Portuguese Air Force.

In total, ten units were committed, and searches were carried out in an area of ​​1600 square nautical miles, approximately 5487 square kilometers.