Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 23rd April 2025
by Mike Evans
A very good day to you all and we at Safe Communities hope you had a safe and enjoyable Easter. As the weather seems to be turning to something we have come to expect in late April, and minds turn to spending time on the beach and in the Ocean we would remind you all to be very aware of the temperature of the sea around our coasts at this time of the year. It is very cold and the average for this time of year is around 15 to 17 degrees centigrade so it is a lot chillier than during the summer time. Here are a few hints to be safe while swimming in the sea. Always check for warning flags and follow safety signage.
Never swim where a sign says not to e.g. in zoned areas for jet boats or jet skis.
Be mindful of underwater hazards, such as reefs, rocks, sudden changes in depth and marine life, and only dive where it is permitted to do so.
Even if you regularly swim in a pool, don’t forget that open water swimming can be much more challenging.
Get advice from your holiday provider about the best local beaches to go to and if there’s anything that you need to be aware of, especially dangerous currents or rip tides.
We have seen instances of these rip tides more and more along our coastline. A rip current is a narrow, fast-moving channel of water that starts near the beach and extends offshore through the line of breaking waves.
Spotting a rip current can be difficult, and really needs some practice. But when you go to the beach, start off by staying back from the water. Rip currents are easier to see at an elevated position, like a dune line or beach access, and then look for places where waves aren’t breaking, so flat spots in the line of breaking waves. And then also where there’s maybe foam or sediment in the water being transported away from the beach offshore.
Rip currents can occur anywhere you have breaking waves, like large sandy beaches on the open ocean. But they can also occur where you have hard structures, like jetties, or piers, or even rocks jutting out into the ocean.
If you do get caught in a rip current, the best thing you can do is stay calm. It’s not going to pull you underwater, it’s just going to pull you away from shore. Call and wave for help. You want to float, and you don’t want to swim back to shore against the rip current because it will just tire you out. You want to swim out of the rip, parallel to shore, along the beach and then follow breaking waves back to shore at an angle.
Now a look at some of the stories from across our region this week.
Civil Protection Raises Awareness Among Rural Population about Fire Prevention
Loulé City Council has once again implemented its awareness and public information plan within the scope of Forest Fire Protection, during the months of February, March and April.
The Municipal Civil Protection Service, the Municipal Fire Brigade of Loulé, the National Republican Guard and the Parish Councils promoted an awareness-raising action close to the population, in the parishes of Alte, Salir, Union of Parishes Querença, Tôr and Benafim and Ameixial.
The action aimed to clarify doubts and involved the distribution of explanatory leaflets on how to proceed in relation to burnings, as well as the requirement for prior communication to carry them out. The population was also informed about the cleaning of a 50-meter strip around isolated homes and 100 meters for population clusters.
The initiative also aimed to raise awareness among the population about the importance of adopting preventive and forest management practices capable of minimizing the risk of forest fires and safeguarding the safety of the population, as civil protection begins with each one of us.
Sea Snails Carrying Dangerous Toxin Found in Algarve Waters
Researchers from the University of the Algarve are warning that sea whelks caught off the Algarve coast may carry a dangerous toxin that could be poisonous and potentially fatal to vulnerable people if the molluscs aren’t properly prepared before being eaten.
Researchers from the university’s Centre for Marine Sciences (CCMAR) found that 76% of the 25 whelks they tested – caught between November 2021 and October 2022 – contained levels of tetrodotoxin – a powerful neurotoxin more commonly found in pufferfish – above the maximum limit considered safe by the European Food Safety Agency.
Popularly known as ‘buzina’, these palm-sized sea snails are often used in local dishes like ‘feijoada’ (a bean stew). But researcher Sandra Lage warns that eating them without first removing the toxic innards properly could be risky, especially for children or older adults. In high doses, the toxin can cause serious health problems, including breathing difficulties and even death.
Present in pufferfish and well-known in Asian countries, where “there have been many reported cases of people dying” from its consumption, tetrodotoxin “is an emerging toxin” in Europe, which “is not currently regulated or monitored in the European Union, because it was only recently discovered” on European territory, the researcher told Lusa news agency.
The study, published in the journal Food Control, was based on a year-long sampling project and was carried out as part of a master’s thesis by student Maria Pais. Though the source of the contamination isn’t fully understood, scientists suspect the toxin may come from bacteria passed through the whelks’ food, such as starfish. However, only one of the 25 starfish caught in the same areas tested positive for the toxin, so the exact cause is still unclear.
“This toxin is known to be produced by bacteria. And we know that it didn’t exist here in the past. But the vector that led to the contamination of the whelks is still being studied. We know that the starfish is a potential vector, but there may be other types of prey that this variety eats, because it’s a carnivore, an opportunistic carnivore,” she argued.
The good news is that the dangerous toxin was only found in the whelks’ internal organs – not in the edible muscle. Still, handling them properly is crucial. Boiling or freezing doesn’t destroy the toxin, and safe consumption depends on completely removing the guts before cooking.A new research project is now underway to investigate exactly how the whelks became contaminated. Work on that study is expected to begin later this year.
Until then, experts advise caution when preparing or eating buzina.
2 Road Accidents cause Injuries in Portimao
Two men were injured following two different accidents yesterday afternoon, Tuesday April 15th, in Portimão. The alert for the first accident was given at 3:24 pm, which was a collision between a car and an electric scooter at the Cardosas roundabout, resulting in minor injuries to the 55 year old driver of the electric scooter. Ten members of the Portimão Fire Department and PSP rushed to the scene to help the injured party.
The second accident between two cars occurred only shortly after, on a stretch of the Monchique road, at the Port of Lagos. Seven members of the Portimão Fire Department, Red Cross, GNR and EMARP attended the scene. One of the drivers, a 37 year old man, was taken to Barlavento Hospital with minor injuries.
Finally with the celebrations of April 25 happening across the region here are a few places where you can catch these celebrations.
Albufeira will mark the 51st anniversary of the Carnation Revolution with a diverse programme that spans several locations throughout the municipality. The celebrations begin on the eve of the historic date, with a concert by Luís Represas at the Albufeira Municipal Auditorium, on the evening of 24th April, at 9:30 pm.
The author of hits such as “Da Próxima Vez” and “Perdidamente” brings to Albufeira a summary of the most memorable moments of his long career. In addition to songs released by the group Trovante, Luís Represas is also expected to perform the main highlights of his solo repertoire. Tickets for the show cost 5 euros and are available at Galeria Municipal João Bailote and at Bilheteira Online (BOL) . Tickets will also be sold at the event venue on the day itself.
Luís Represas’ concert is part of the program of celebrations for the 51st anniversary of the revolution that overthrew the Salazar regime in Portugal, which also includes several other initiatives in different parts of the city.
The celebrations continue on April 25th with a range of activities for all ages. The morning starts at 8:00 am with the start of the National Duathlon Club Championship, at the Ferreiras Parish Council, with the finish line scheduled for 2:00 pm at the Nora Stadium. Also on the sports front, the João Campos Stadium in Paderne will host the 2nd round of the Dolphins Championship. The initiative involves around 200 children up to the age of 8, and aims to promote sports ethics through football matches.
Between 12:00 and 20:00, Vale Faro Park, in Albufeira, will be the stage for music and entertainment with performances by Nuno Balbino and the group Ban’dalila, in an initiative promoted by the Parish Council of Albufeira and Olhos de Água.
Portimão once again celebrates the 25th of April with a programme for all ages, which values the principles of Freedom, Democracy and Participation. This year, the highlight is the reopening of the Parque da Juventude, scheduled for 3pm on Saturday, 26th April, after a year and a half of extensive refurbishment.
With around 15 thousand square meters, the facility has been renovated with new areas for enjoyment, informal sports and socializing. The reopening will be marked with exhibitions of BMX, skateboarding, basketball, futsal, musical entertainment with DJs and live bands.
The celebrations begin on the eve of the holiday, Wednesday, April 24, with the concert celebrating the 20th anniversary of the band “Os Azeitonas”, at 9 pm, at Portimão Arena.
On the 25th of April, the official celebrations begin with the raising of the flags at 9am in Praça 1.º de Maio, accompanied by the National Anthem performed by the Banda Filarmónica Portimonense and the Fanfarra dos Bombeiros Voluntários de Portimão, followed by a procession and the release of pigeons. At the same time, the 18th Corrida da Liberdade will take place in the riverside area, with a 10-kilometre race, a five-kilometre walk and competitions for children.
At 10:30 am, the Main Hall of the Town Hall will host the Solemn Session Commemorating the 51st anniversary of the 25th of April, with speeches by representatives of the parties with seats in the Municipal Assembly, the President of the Municipal Assembly, Isabel Guerreiro, and the President of the Municipal Council, Álvaro Bila.
In the afternoon, at 3 pm, the signing ceremony of the Program Contracts with the Associative Movement will take place. At 5:30 pm, the sculpture “Renascer como a Ave Fénix” (Reborn as the Phoenix Bird), by artist Linda Sousa, will be inaugurated next to the Rotunda dos Três Castelos — a work donated to the city that symbolizes resilience and renewal.
Throughout the day, between 10 am and 6 pm, the Gonçalo Ribeiro Telles Garden is transformed into a space for creative freedom with the event “April in the Garden”, through different artistic workshops — murals, collages, sculpture and painting —, live music, a baby space, themed face painting and a community picnic area.
The program also includes exhibitions and other cultural initiatives, such as the exhibition “41 Newspapers of April 25, 1974/1975”, on display from April 22 to 26 in the lobby of the Manuel Teixeira Gomes Municipal Library, which brings together historical editions of the national and regional press before and after the Carnation Revolution.
The municipality of Vila Real de Santo António will celebrate Freedom Day with a diverse programme that includes institutional moments, sporting activities, cultural initiatives and a musical show that promises to fill Praça Marquês de Pombal.
The day begins with the traditional raising of flags and the distribution of carnations, followed by a procession with a brass band and a release of pigeons. During the day, exhibitions and evocative sessions will also be held, providing an atmosphere marked by “strong community participation and a tribute to the values of freedom and democracy”, as can be read in the press release.
The highlight of the celebrations will be at 9:30 pm, with the commemorative concert “The Village Sings to Freedom”, at Praça Marquês de Pombal. This special show marks the 51st anniversary of the Carnation Revolution and will feature renowned local artists: Henrique Fernandes and Susana Travassos (vocals), André Oliveira and André Ramos (guitar), Luís Horta (piano), Mário Sousa (drums) and Ricardo Cordeiro (bass). Admission is free. The concert revisits iconic songs from the revolution, offering an emotional tribute to freedom and the music that marked the country’s history. More than just a show, it will be a moment of encounter between generations, where culture serves as a bridge between the past and the present.
The celebrations begin at 8:00 am, with the raising of flags at the parish council offices, culminating at the Town Hall. At 10:45 am, Praça Marquês de Pombal will be the stage for the Corridas da Liberdade, an initiative that unites sport and citizenship. At 11:00 am, the António Aleixo Cultural Centre will host the Municipal Assembly’s Commemorative Ceremony. In the late afternoon, at 5:00 pm, the West Zone of Monte Gordo will host a dance with the Gerações Group. The programme also includes several cultural initiatives, such as the exhibition “For Peace, for April” and the poetic-musical show “Freedom – the Law, the Rule – 1975/2025”, which will be hosted by Afonso Dias, on 22 April, at 6:00 pm, at the Municipal Library.
On April 24th, at 6 pm, another session of the «Archive between Stories» will take place at the Municipal Historical Archive, with João Pereira leading the conversation on the theme «Records of political prisoners from Baixo Guadiana during the Estado Novo».
The April 25th celebrations are promoted by the Vila Real de Santo António City Council and aim to involve the entire community, in an atmosphere of celebration, reflection and affirmation of the values of April.
If you are visiting any of these events please stay safe.