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The Algarve Situation Report 30 August 2023

by Mike Evans

A very good day to you all and especially those who may be reading this report for the first time. Safe Communities Portugal publish information every week on what has been happening across the country as well as in Madeira. We concentrate mainly on subjects that are to do with our remit, that is safety and security and civil protection.

As the month of August draws to a close a large number of domestic tourists from the North of Portugal make their way home after their annual visit to the Algarve. We see the roads around the region are very busy which is a major cause of accidents, with people wanting to get home and not thinking about theirs and others safety. There have been a number of road traffic accidents across the Algarve which  unfortunately resulted in deaths and injuries.

As a region we have been somewhat lucky with the lack of fires and we can but hope that this trend continues although there was a big fire in the , the bombeiros were able to get it under control after 6 hours. The service these men and women provide is fantastic and we should not forget that many of them are part time or volunteers. Our thanks go to all of them at this time.

Now let’s see what has been happening across the Algarve in the past week.

Worker dies and Another Injured at a Construction Site in Aljezur

A civil construction worker died on Wednesday, August 23, following the collapse of a wall at the construction site he was working on in Bordeira , in Aljezur , according to the Regional Command for Emergency and Civil Protection.

A source from this organisation said today that the death of the victim, aged 34, was declared by the doctor from the helicopter of the National Institute of Medical Emergencies (INEM) that was sent to the place.

The same source added that another 24-year-old worker was “seriously injured” in the accident, who was transferred by helicopter to Faro Hospital. The alert for this occurrence was given at 4:24 pm on Wednesday and there were also eight vehicles with a total of 24 operatives from the Aljezur Firefighters, INEM, the National Republican Guard (GNR), the Civil Protection Service and of the Authority for Working Conditions (ACT).

Tourist  Dies after feeling ill at Praia do Coelho

A 40-year-old man from Seville died on Saturday, August 26, at Praia do Coelho , in Monte Gordo, after feeling sick on the beach, according to Arenilha TV.

The alert was given by the lifeguard at 15:15, with the victim, with a history of epilepsy, having been ventilated with material from that pariah concession.

Before the arrival of elements from the “SeaWatch” project and INEM, the man went into cardiac arrest and was transported to the Basic Emergency Service of Vila Real de Santo António , where he died after several resuscitation manoeuvres.

Man of 27 Arrested in Lagos for Burglary

The PSP detained a 27-year-old individual for committing crimes of theft inside residences, the Faro District Command of the PSP advanced this Monday.

“Yesterday, after learning of yet another theft from a house, in the Porto de Mós area, in Lagos, where items in gold worth 56,000.00 euros were subtracted, the PSP in Lagos carried out immediate investigations, culminating in the acquisition of evidence that allowed the suspect to be intercepted and detained”, says the PSP in a statement.

Most of the articles from were recovered by the police, as well as “articles from other offences of the same nature, which occurred essentially in houses in the city of Lagos”, continues the note.The detainee is indicted for the commission of five crimes of aggravated theft and five other identical crimes in the attempted form. According to the PSP, he will be present before the Judicial Authority for the application of coercive measures considered appropriate while awaiting trial.

Young Woman Rescued after Fainting near João de Arens Beach

An 18-year-old girl was rescued near Praia de João de Arens, in the municipality of Portimão , with no access by land, after suffering a power outage and fainting, announced the National Maritime Authority.

The alert was given at 15:57 by a crew member of a local vessel, with members of the Maritime Police, from the “SeaWatch” project, the coordinator of the lifeguards of the beach support of Alvor and Rocha having immediately moved to the place . , the Portimão Volunteer Firefighters and the Portuguese Red Cross.

This young woman was later transported by sea to a Red Cross ambulance, which sent her to a hospital unit.

Traffic Altercation leads to the Death of a 44-year-old man in Quarteira

A 44-year-old man died on Monday, the 28th, following a traffic disagreement that resulted in aggression and that involved two other people, in Quarteira, said a source from the GNR.

The incident took place in Quarteira, in the municipality of Loulé , at 8:30 pm, said a source from the general command of the GNR.

The attacks arose as a result of a traffic disagreement between two individuals who crossed the crosswalk and an individual who was riding a motorcycle, added the same source, without specifying further details while the investigation takes place. The victim, a 44-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene by rescue teams.

The Judiciary Police was called to the scene to carry out the steps, the GNR source also explained .

Man Arrested for Armed Robbery in Albufeira

A 22-year-old man was arrested on August 24 for robbery with a knife in the municipality of Albufeira , announced the National Republican Guard (GNR).

The arrest was made by the Territorial Command of Faro, through the Territorial Sub-detachment of Albufeira, following a report of the theft of two men aged 19 and 20.

These two men were also threatened with a knife and after police investigations it was possible to locate the suspect, recover 30 euros in cash and seize a knife. Three defendants aged 21, 23 and 25 were also named, who are suspected of being involved in these robberies.

The detainee was present at the Judicial Court of Albufeira the following day and the coercion measure of weekly appearances at the police station in his area of ​​residence was applied to him.

Preventive Arrest for Man who Robbed Restaurant in Albufeira

A 21-year-old man was remanded in custody for stealing from a restaurant in the municipality of Albufeira on August 24, announced the National Republican Guard (GNR).

The arrest was made by the Territorial Command of Faro , through the Territorial Sub-detachment of Albufeira.

After a complaint that a man had broken into a window and entered a restaurant, the Guard’s military found the suspect’s location and proceeded to arrest him in the act, when the individual left the place. During the action, 53 euros in cash, two mobile phones and a knife were seized.

The detainee, who has a criminal record, was present at the Judicial Court of Albufeira.

And Finally we extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of GNR, Corporal Nuno Policarpo who sadly passed away following a road traffic accident in Loule on the 26th August. Nuno Policarpo was 47 years old and was born in Nisa. A Member of the National Republican Guard, he served in the Community Policing Section of the Territorial Detachment of Loulé. 

In a statement released on Sunday, the 27th, the Municipality of Loulé publicly expresses “its deep regret, The disappearance of this young GNR soldier, on a night of celebration and joy for tens of thousands of people, shocks us and makes us appreciate even more the importance of the work of the security forces”, can be read in a statement.

“To the family and the National Republican Guard, the Municipality of Loulé sends its most sincere condolences for the loss of a professional who cared for the safety and well-being of our community throughout his life”, ends the note. From all of the volunteers at Safe Communities Portugal we also extend our sincere condolences.

 

 

Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 23 August 2023

 

by Mike Evans

A very warm welcome to you all as we sit in a very hot period of weather and hope everyone is mindful of the need to keep hydrated and to be especially vigil to the issue of wildfires.

As I am writing this report the Algarve has 10 municipalities at the maximum risk of fires and with the winds we get at this time of year it doesn’t take much to get a small fire to turn into a large blaze.

On our Facebook pages we publish daily the latest information from the IPMA regarding the weather, as well as the fire hazard tables for every region and municipality in the Algarve. If you have not already seen this information I would implore you to take a look.

Let’s take a look at what has been happening across the region in the past week concerning our remit of safety and security.

Man Arrested after Stabbing In Lagoa

A man was arrested on suspicion of having committed two crimes of attempted homicide on Monday night, August 21, in Lagoa , announced the Judiciary Police.

The arrest was made by the Judiciary Police, through the DIC of Portimão , after the alleged aggressor became involved in an argument with the owner of a café.

The woman wanted to close the establishment and refused to serve more drinks to the suspect, who started the discussion, which was interrupted by two customers who were nearby and who ended up being stabbed in the chest area. The suspect, aged 54, fled but was eventually located with the collaboration of the National Republican Guard of Lagoa, and will be present at the first judicial interrogation for the application of coercive measures.

The two victims were admitted to a hospital.

Man Arrested for Burglaries  in Albufeira  County

A 21-year-old man was arrested on Friday, August 18, for theft from homes in the municipality of Albufeira , announced the National Republican Guard.

The arrest was made by the Faro Territorial Command , through the Territorial Sub-detachment of Albufeira, following a report of a fire in a house. The military, at the scene, verified that there had been a theft of several articles inside two residences through break-in.After the police investigations, the suspect was located in possession of the stolen items, having recovered a mobile phone, a pair of headphones (Airpods), a wallet with documents, a shirt and two wallets.

The detainee was present the day after the Judicial Court of Portimão, with application of the coercion measure of biweekly presentations in his area of ​​residence.

Two Arrested for Car Theft  in Aljezur and Vila do Bispo

Two men aged 36 and 49 were arrested on Wednesday, August 16, for theft from a vehicle in the municipalities of Aljezur and Vila do Bispo , announced the National Republican Guard (GNR). The arrest was made by the Territorial Command of Faro, through the Núcleo de Investigação Criminal de Portimão, following a complaint.

The thefts were carried out in car parks, with the suspects detained after police investigations, with an iPad, a speaker, two power banks, two pairs of earphones, two bracelets, two pairs of glasses, two pairs of gloves, two mobile phones and 645 euros in cash. The detainees will be present at the Judicial Court of Lagos for the application of coercive measures during today.

The action had the reinforcement of the soldiers from the Territorial Post of Vila do Bispo.

Man Rescued After Falling on Rocks at Molhe Beach

A 45-year-old man was rescued during the afternoon of Thursday, August 17, after an accidental fall on the rocks at Praia do Molhe, in Ferragudo, in the municipality of Lagoa, announced the National Maritime Authority.

The alert was given at 18:52 by the Lisbon Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre, with elements of the Local Command of the Maritime Police of Portimão, the Lifeguard Station of Ferragudo, the Firefighters Volunteers from Lagoa and INEM.

The victim, of Spanish nationality, had a serious injury to his right leg, in the ankle area, and was transported to a hospital after being rescued from an area of ​​difficult access.The Portimão Maritime Police Local Command took care of the occurrence.

Body of Missing Man From Santa Luzia found in Perogil

The body of Quévin Andre Protseko, who had been missing for a month, was found on Thursday, August 17, in Perogil , in the municipality of Tavira , according to Correio da Manhã. The corpse of the 21-year-old was in a high state of decomposition and was discovered by the Judiciary Police, next to a crane, with marks of a fall of several metres.

The parents of the Computer Engineering student at the University of Algarve have already been notified and there are no signs of crime.During the investigations, around 200 pages were found on Quévin Protseko’s computer, written by himself.

His mobile phone had already been located by the local authorities two weeks ago, and it was discovered that before the disappearance, the young man who lived in Santa Luzia had withdrawn all the money from his bank account.

Pleasure Craft Runs Aground on Ilha Deserta

A pleasure craft with 12 crew ran aground west of the Faro -Olhão bar on the night of Wednesday, August 17th, in a strip of sand on Ilha Deserta , announced the National Maritime Authority.

The alert was given at 02:02 by the Lisbon Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre, with elements from the Faro Maritime Police Local Command and the Olhão Lifeguard Station having been immediately activated.

Eleven crew members were sent ashore to the pier on Ilha da Deserta, where they were rescued by members of the Maritime Police, who verified that they were in good physical condition and did not require medical assistance.The crew were later transported to another pleasure boat, which took them to the Vilamoura marina.

The owner of the damaged vessel was notified to present a removal plan and the Faro Maritime Police Local Command took care of the occurrence.

GNR Detains Man who had a Woman Locked in his House

A 62-year-old man who had kidnapped a woman, after threatening her family, was arrested in the municipality of Loulé , reported the GNR.

In a statement, the GNR explains that the detention took place after a complaint about a woman who was locked in a house, and the military found that “the suspect had already threatened the victim’s family with a firearm and that the victim was kidnapped in the suspect’s residence.

In a house search of the suspect’s house, which culminated in his arrest, a shotgun, two compressed air guns and various ammunition of various calibres were seized.According to the GNR, the detainee is being held at the premises of this security force, waiting to be presented to the Judicial Court of Loulé for the application of coercive measures.

Boat capsizes with 14 tourists on board in Lagoa

A tourist vessel that made the usual trips through the caves on the coast of Lagos, in the Carvoeiro area , capsized on the afternoon of Tuesday, August 15th, with 16 people on board (14 tourists and two crew). There are no injuries to report.

According to the news provided by Correio da Manhã, the incident took place inside a cave between the Farol de Alfanzina and Benagil, in the municipality of Lagoa.

Among the 14 passengers on board were eight tourists of French nationality, six Spanish, including children between two and six years old.The Ferragudo lifeguard station, with the support of another maritime tourist vessel, proceeded to rescue all the passengers, said the same source.

As the commander of the Captaincy of Portimão , Eduardo Pousadas Godinho, described to Correia da Manhã, “the vessel capsized and people stayed inside the cave. The reaction was very fast and allowed us to rescue all the people without injuries”.

 

Police Crackdown Results in 95 Arrests across the Algarve

95 people were arrested, more than 500 doses of drugs were seized and 735 traffic offences detected over a week in the Algarve by the GNR police. Between the 7th and 13th of August, 44 people were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, 17 for driving without legal authorization and 16 for drug trafficking.

During this period, 297 doses of hashish, 236 doses of heroin, 21 doses of cocaine, three knives, two of them with automatic openings, two mobile phones, an alarm pistol, a defence aerosol, an electric gun and several counterfeit articles of brands were seized of footwear and fashion accessories.

In traffic, 735 infractions were detected: 354 for speeding, 29 related to anomalies in the lighting and signalling systems, 28 for lack of mandatory periodic inspection, 26 for improper use of the mobile phone while driving, 19 for lack or incorrect use of the seat belt and/or child restraint system and 14 for lack of civil liability insurance.

Last week, 230 accidents were recorded, resulting in two deaths, one seriously injured and 48 slightly injured.

Let’s all stay safe whether on the roads, on the beach or just in private pools. Until the next time..

 

 

Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 23rd August 2023.

 

From floods in Chili, British Colombia, to wild fire in Greece, Tenerife and Canada to name but a few, it appears that we are seeing the impacts of extreme weather from many different countries at present.

We have been covering some of these events mainly in our Safe Communities Portugal Protection against Natural Disasters Group, as it is important to remember that these event do not stop at national borders or within regions, so the weather conditions say in the USA or Canada can be replicated elsewhere including Portugal. What can make a difference however is the risk reduction measures that are in place and how that can reduce the impact, such as the number of casualties. An example I would give of this is the reduction in risk by the cleaning of land, and how that helps reduce fires reaching properties.

Simple things like understanding more about the risk of fires, how they can burn with greater intensity and how they spread, are all things that we should be more aware off, simply because that means we are more prepared and can take the appropriate action accordingly. It is also important that children are aware so they themselves can see the warning signs, perhaps ahead of their parents.

When travelling overseas it is important to also be aware of the risks, and the contact points in case of emergencies. Put this on the check list before you go on holiday and if you are staying in a rural property ensure that it affords some protection from fires.

In the case of rural fires in Portugal there have been xx over the last xx days, which are facilitated by weather extremes but nearly all have a human cause, as the minister of International administration said yesterday, over two thirds of these are caused by negligence; namely not following the rules that are in place.

In response to the recent fires, 300 more operatives have been made available and pair of amphibious Fire Boss aircrafts – will be, until October 31st, pre-positioned in Portugal, in Castelo Branco.

We are now in a heatwave that will last for the next few days and on Mondays 33 weather stations registered temperatures of over 40C, increasing to xx yesterday. Of course it is much hotter in the sun, so everyone needs to be careful by not over exercising, and in particular those who undertake physical work outdoors. Take regular beaks, try and work in shaded areas if possible and of course drink water regularly 1.5 litres a day recommended by the health authority, to avoid dehydration.  Most important is care of young children and avoiding direct exposure to the sun.

Communicating key messages about being prepared is extremely important and I would like to that Owen Gee KissFm for allowing us air time on Sunday mornings to do precisely this. Feed-back is very positive and I hope that people have become more Fire Wise, in part, from listening to the advice given. We are now in our 13th year on Solid Gold Sunday and we thank those for listening in.

I mentioned earlier our new Facebook group and am pleased to announce as of this morning we have no less than 2000 members in a period of just 45 days since it was launched! Our Safe Communities team are delighted with this response as apart from the numbers, members are showing great interest in the subject of preparedness, which is the key message that government is trying to get across at present. Also encouraging is members sharing their own experiences and knowledge which is fundamental in developing greater resilience to natural hazards. So a big thank you.

Our team wishes you a good week ahead.

News:

Fire caused damage of 5.5 ME and destroyed 5,315 hectares in Proença-a-Nova

Proença-a-Nova, Castelo Branco, 22 Aug 2023 (Lusa) – The fire that broke out on the 4th in the municipality of Castelo Branco and which progressed to Proença-a-Nova caused damages of 5.5 million euros in the latter municipality and destroyed 5,315 hectares of forest.

“Despite all the work we have done, this fire affected an area of ​​5,315 hectares which, after a survey carried out by the municipal services, totaled damages worth 5,550,297 euros”, announced the mayor of Proença-a- New, Joao Lobo.

According to this mayor of the Castelo Branco district, the calculated value is divided into three fundamental areas: needs for post-fire emergency stabilization interventions – 2,683,576 euros, plus intervention on paved roads – 1,696,448 euros.

The affected municipal equipment totals 169,306 euros and private property, 1,000,966 euros.

For now, the executive informed the Chamber, on Monday, of the 6th Amendment to the Budget and Major Options of the Plan, “a new item having been created for immediate support to the population in the amount of 90 thousand euros”.

The municipal executive also announced that he will send the request for support to the Government to operationalize all the expenses presented.

Among the losses, there is the investment necessary to recover the affected infrastructure, to control erosion, to treat and protect slopes, to prevent contamination and silting and to recover water lines.

Public infrastructure, such as signs for pedestrian routes, enduro tracks, hang gliding tracks, via ferrata, road signs, containment of damage to biodiversity and private property, including animals, fruit trees, irrigation pipes , haystacks and agricultural attachments, utensils, agricultural tools and machinery, animal feed are also accounted for.

João Lobo highlighted the importance of cleaning the 100 meters of the protection strip for population settlements and the pioneering spirit of the municipality of Proença-a-Nova in creating regulations for the conversion of forest areas into agricultural areas in 2018, for fuel management areas in the 100 meters around the population centers.

Currently, the municipality has carried out eight interventions of “Condomínios de Aldeia” and has a further eight operations in the pipeline.

“We still have approved four AIGP (Integrated Landscape Management Areas), which total an area of ​​about 7,200 hectares”, underlined the mayor.

The fire that broke out on the 4th in the municipality of Castelo Branco progressed to the municipality of Proença-a-Nova and entered the resolution phase after two days.

According to the Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests (ICNF), the rural fires registered in Odemira and Castelo Branco in early August represent more than half of the total area burned in Portugal in 2023.

According to the most recent statistics from the ICNF, which account for the first half of August, Portugal has registered since January 1 of this year 27,802 hectares of burned area and 6,085 rural fires, which translates into the second lowest value in number of fires and fourth in terms of area burned since 2013.

The fire that broke out in São Teotónio, in the municipality of Odemira, on August 5, is the biggest recorded in Portugal this year, consuming at least 7,530 hectares of land, while the fire registered in Sarzedas, municipality of Castelo Branco, also this month, led to a total of 6,553 hectares of burned area.

 

 

 

Azores Situation Report Wednesday 16th August 2023

 

From our correspondent in Azores

Azores to control excess of protected birds that are plague for agriculture.

The Government of the Azores hopes to have a plan to combat pests operational by the end of the month, warning that there is an “excess” population of protected birds that are causing damage to farmers.

“We are not against protected birds. What we want is for there to be a population in balance with what the experience of the agricultural economy is like. Currently, there is an excess of these protected birds. I’m talking about the blackbird, wood pigeon and collared turtledove”, said the secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development.

António Ventura warned that those animals are “economically affecting” many local productions in the areas of horticulture, winemaking and maize.

“It is our idea that at the end of August we can have an opening and an authorization so that the excess population can be corrected”, he stressed.

He stressed that the increase in the population of the woodpecker, collared turtledove and blackbird is “dispelling other species of birds that are disappearing”.

Swiss tourist missing on trail in Ribeira Quente

After exhausting all possible steps, after searches carried out by air, sea and land, the case was forwarded to the Public Ministry, which will assess the need to involve the Judiciary Police.

A 27-year-old man of Swiss nationality who was visiting the island of São Miguel has been missing since the 15th of July.

According to the Public Security Police (PSP), in the last communication with the family, the man indicated that he was on a pedestrian trail in the Ribeira Quente area, leading to “diligence being undertaken to try to locate” the missing tourist.

The spokesperson for the Regional Command of the Azores said, that considering that there are several trails there, “the entire area has been the target of searches during the last few days, which, unfortunately, were unsuccessful”.

For this reason, “when all possible steps have been exhausted”, explains Eurico Machado, the case was forwarded to the Public Ministry, which will decide “what the course of the process and subsequent steps to be taken”, and the case may pass to the Police. Judiciary.

The deputy commissioner also adds that, in addition to the PSP, the searches for this tourist were supported by the Povoação Volunteer Firefighters, who focused on the various existing trails and in the neighbouring parishes of Ribeira Quente, as well as the Maritime Police, who carried out searches in the coastline, “a possibility that cannot be ruled out”.
In the case of the PSP, he adds, the use of dogs and a drone was used, which, as a rule, “is a very useful and effective tool in occurrences of this nature”.

Among the main difficulties in the searches, explains Eurico Machado, is the fact that it is not possible to “precisely place” where the man disappeared, knowing only that it was “on a trail in Ribeira Quente”. Another difficulty relates to the fact that the missing young man’s mobile phone is turned off, making it impossible to contact him.

Regarding the characterization of the area, the spokesman for the Regional Command of the Azores indicates that, if the missing man had remained on the trail, he would not represent a danger. However, “people have a tendency to deviate from the route and then, it can become dangerous”.

The PSP also warns the population that “the competent authorities should work to find the missing man”, because “only the authorities with competence in this matter can and should take steps, under penalty of danger to other citizens”.

 

 

The Algarve Report Wednesday 16 August 2023

 

by Mike Evans

A very good day to you all and with the region being awash with tourists from across Europe and beyond it is right that we start this report with the news that in the first 6 months of the year 60 people have died as a result of drowning, across the whole country, according to the Portuguese Federation of Lifeguards ( FEPONS ), noting that, despite the decrease in cases compared to the same period last year, the figures are still high.

In a statement, FEPONS cites figures from the Drowning Observatory to indicate that, despite a reduction compared to the same period last year (68 deaths), it was still higher than the average of the last six years (56 deaths). According to the report by the Drowning Observatory, 51 of the people who drowned in the first six months of the year were men and more than half (57.4%) were over 40 years old.

According to the document, 16 cases occurred in April, 12 in June and 10 in January and only one case occurred in a guarded area. FEPONS also points out that 36 (60.7%) drownings occurred in the afternoon, 25 at sea, 21 in the river, four in domestic swimming pools, three in dams, another three in harbours/marinas and two in wells.

It adds that 11 cases occurred during leisurely bathing, four due to falling vehicles into the water, two during recreational fishing with a rod, two during recreational fishing with nets and others in cleaning tasks at the site. As for geographical distribution, 10 cases (16.4%) occurred in the district of Faro , eight (13.1%) in Lisbon, eight (13.1%) in Leiria, seven (11.5%) in Setúbal and six (9.8%) in Porto.

Many tourists who come to the Algarve do not expect the water to be as cold as it is and this is in part one of the reasons why there are these such incidents. With a number of beaches having no Lifeguards present this is shown to be another factor. We can all help by keeping an eye out when on the beach for anyone who may be in difficulty especially if bathing on an unattended Lifeguard beach.

Now let’s take a look at what else has been happening around the Algarve region in the past week.

Man dies after falling ill in water on unguarded beach

A 49-year-old man, of French nationality, died in the late afternoon of Sunday, August 13, after allegedly having suffered a cardiorespiratory arrest while bathing in an unsupervised area between Vale do Lobo beach and Praia de Loulé Velho, indicated AMN.

Following an alert received at 6:45 pm, via the Lisbon Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC Lisbon), informing that a person had gotten into difficulty in the water on an unsupervised beach, “they immediately went to the local elements of the Local Command of the Maritime Police of Faro, INEM, lifeguards from the assistance device for bathers of the Municipality of Loulé and the Red Cross of Faro”, says the National Maritime Authority (AMN) in a statement.

The man was removed from the water “by bathers” who were at the scene, after allegedly feeling bad while bathing, having suffered a cardiorespiratory arrest. The man was assisted at the scene by lifeguards until the arrival of INEM, who continued the resuscitation manoeuvres, “it was not possible to reverse the situation”, said the report. The death was declared “on the spot by the INEM doctor, and the victim was later transported to the Instituto de Medicina Legal de Faro by the Cruz Vermelha de Faro”, he details.

The Maritime Police Psychology Office has been activated and is providing “support to the victim’s relatives”. The Faro Maritime Police Local Command took care of the occurrence.

Lifeguard station rescues missing man in Olhão

The crew of the Lifeguard Station in Olhão rescued a 73-year-old man of French nationality on the afternoon of this Monday, the 14th, who had disappeared after leaving the Cavacos beach in Olhão by kayak.

Following an alert received at 4:00 p.m. by the victim’s wife, informing her that her husband had left Cavacos beach in a kayak at 2:15 p.m. and had still not returned, “the crew of the Olhão Lifeguard Station were immediately activated. to carry out searches between Armona and Fuseta”, says AMN in a statement.

‘SeaWatch’ elements have been enabled to perform land searches. The crew of the Salva-vidas Station detected the man at 4:25 pm between Cavacos beach and Fuseta, having found that he was “tired and having difficulty returning to land due to the strong wind, with no need for medical assistance”, details the note. . The man was later rescued to the Lifeguard Station in Olhão, where he arrived safely.

Cyclist dies in an accident in Alcoutim

Cyclist José Ricardo Viegas, aged 40, died on Saturday, August 12, in Alcoutim , in an accident involving a truck, according to the Jopelor Cycling Academy, where he was an athlete.

Born in Santa Catarina da Fonte do Bispo , in the municipality of Tavira, Zé Ricardo, as he was known, lost his life at the scene of the accident while riding his bicycle, which was his passion.

11 people arrested during inspection in the municipality

 Eleven people aged between 19 and 65 were arrested on Friday, August 11, during an operation to combat crime in the municipality of Albufeira , announced the National Republican Guard (GNR).

The arrests were made by the Territorial Command of Faro, through the Territorial Sub-detachment of Albufeira, in various places in the municipality, for the crimes of drug trafficking (seven), driving under the influence of alcohol (two), possession of a prohibited weapon (one) and aggravated threat (one).

During the police investigations, two razors were seized, an alarm gun, 40 rounds of ammunition, a defence aerosol, an electric gun, 65 doses of hashish, 59 doses of MDMA, 24 doses of cocaine, a knife with traces of hashish and 20 euros in cash. Four nightlife establishments were also inspected, which resulted in the drawing up of nine administrative offence notices, while in the road area, 12 were drawn up. The facts were sent to the Judicial Court of Albufeira.

Man Arrested for stealing a car from the Câmara de Albufeira

A 21-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday, August 9, after having stolen an Albufeira City Council car that he was driving in Olhão , announced the Public Security Police (PSP).

The arrest was made by the Faro District Command of the PSP, through the Olhão Police Station, in collaboration with the National Republican Guard, after the goods vehicle was circulating in the city of Olhão.

A police device was set up to intercept the vehicle and the suspect, using the GPS tracking system of the stolen car, and the person responsible was arrested. The stolen vehicle had several tools and machinery worth approximately 11 thousand euros, which were also recovered.

The detainee was notified to appear before the Public Ministry this Thursday, August 10th.

Video surveillance in Olhão and Portimão to be reinforced

The Ministry of Internal Affairs authorised the reinforcement of video surveillance systems in Olhão and Portimão, it was announced today.

By order of the Secretary of State for Home Affairs, published today, 11th August in Diário da República , it can be read that “the video surveillance system in the municipality of Olhão, which had 26 cameras, is renewed for three years, and the installation of another 41 is authorised , in a total of 67 chambers”.

In the case of Portimão, the renewal is for the same period, “a total of 42 video surveillance cameras (there were 26 before) in 29 locations in the municipality”, says the note.

Finally as we are in the Fire Season, please follow our Facebook page for any information regarding fires and preventative measures we should all be aware of at this time of year.

Have a good and peaceful week.

 

 

 

Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 16th August 2023

 

Good morning, something that has been troubling me over the last week is what led to the devastating rural fire in Maui, Hawaii, resulting in a death toll of 106 and at least 1300 missing. Not only could this turn out to be the largest death toll from a rural fire in the US in last 100 years as stated, but one of the worlds greatest disasters from a rural fire.

resulting in a death toll of around one hundred but almost certainly to increase much higher.

Following this the Minister of Internal Administration sent a very clear message on Monday that Portugal must be prepared for “extreme fires” like those that occurred in Hawaii and Canada.

José Luís Carneiro recalls that this year “we have the greatest number of resources ever”, but stresses that responsible behaviour on the part of the population is also needed. What in effect the Minister is saying that the fires may well be intense, not necessarily the same impact provided everyone is aware of the hazards and is prepared accordingly. The minister stressed that we are still in the middle of the critical period of fires and admits that this year “adverse conditions could last until the end of September, mid-October”.

Turning to the Maui fires, brush fires were already burning on 9th August. Those fires were stoked on Wednesday by a combination of low humidity and strong mountain winds, brought by Hurricane Dora, a Category 4 storm hundreds of miles to the south in the Pacific Ocean. No cause for the fire has yet been determined, but experts said one possibility was that active power lines that fell in high winds ignited the wildfire that ultimately spread to Lahaina.

This is the worst fire in terms of fatalities in over one hundred years in US territory. Although the focus is now very much on recovery, there are inevitable questions on what many residents are stating that there was a lack of warning. Fires as we know can occur any time, but one of the most important aspects of preparedness is knowing what the fire hazards are at the time and place.

In the case of Maui what has been reported is that at the time of the fire most of the island was experiencing worsening drought conditions in recent weeks which probably also contributed to the fire. Nearly 16 percent of Maui County was in a severe drought on Tuesday, according to the U.S. NOAA have daily Watches, Warnings or Advisories for three areas of Maui which shows alerts currently in effect for those areas and is normally updated every two-three minutes. Unfortunately it is not historical so no data for 8th August.

Also there was a hurricane passing to the south, with winds on 8th August peaking at between 80 km/h 107km/h. (Source US National weather centre)

Hurricanes are closely tracked by the highly effective US Hurricane Centre (NOAA) with estimates of wind strengths, direction of the hurricane and relevant data which is published every few hours.

Fire danger info is provided to the population through various communication channels when deemed necessary (mid to high likability of fires to occur): TV, radio, and by text message. They also have a fire alert system, which is known by the public and has been used in the past. According to the news, this system has not been activated this time and the population was not correctly alerted. However, the danger of fires has been reported through regular means, as explained above.  On that day, a message has been sent to inform the population about the potential danger of fires. However, it is said that due to power outages (because of strong winds), the message might have not reached everyone.

 

Hawaii has what it says is one of the world’s largest siren systems to warn people of all kinds of events, including wildfires and hurricanes. Maui County has 80. State records don’t indicate that the sirens sounded in Lahaina, according to the Associated Press.

When asked at a press conference why was the state not more prepared? Hawaii Gov. Josh Green response, “We’ve never experienced a wildfire that affected a city like this before.”

Following this fire there will be a major review with recommendations to try and avoid a repeat of this disaster where perhaps hundreds have died, in the future. The lessons learned affect not only the USA but also other countries where similar risks exist.

However it should not bring disasters to bring about change. We need to think ahead and plan ahead with the best knowledge and tools that are available. It should not be case that we were not prepared because we had not experience it before! Other countries have and we need to learn from their experiences, as Portugal did following the 2017 fires.

What this shows us is the importance of preparedness and when fires do take place the need to have a basic understanding of wildfires behaviour especially those live in fire prone areas.

With that please have a safe week ahead.

News

“Aldeia Segura” program: more than half of the villages do not have an evacuation plan

More than half of the villages in the “Safe Villages, Safe People” program do not have a defined evacuation plan. The program covers more than 2,200 villages.

Created in 2018, the “Safe Villages, Safe People” programs aim to create protection zones and places of refuge, prevent people from fires and reduce the consequences in case of fires and possible evacuations.

There are currently 2,255 villages involved in this program. According to data provided by Jornal de Notícias, in the year of creation of the program, in 2018,

There were 1,793 villages, from then on the number has always increased. +170 in 2019, +29 villages in 2020, +65 in 2021, +176 in 2022 and lastly 12 villages in this last year, the lowest number of new villages ever.

The internet portal also shows that of the total of 2255 villages, only 918 villages have an evacuation plan, that is, more than half do not have this plan defined, but there is an increase compared to last year, of 60 new plans.

The latest data from this month show that Guarda, Bragança and Viseu are the districts with the most safe villages:

Guarda has 503 villages, 59 more than the previous year.

Bragança and Viseu have not changed in relation to last year.

The initially defined goal was 7,000 villages by the end of 2030.

In response to SIC, the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority says that these targets may be revised but that the balance of municipalities and parishes is, so far, positive.

 

Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 7th August 2023

 

By David Thomas

Good afternoon everyone, the last few days have been dominated by the rural fires ion the mainland in particular the Odemira fire which was active for five days and was brought under resolution earlier today.

This and many of the other fires were largely predictable given the high temperatures, maximum fire risk in many parts of the country and fire danger at “extreme” and above in certain areas. Civil protection pre-positioned many resources in high risk areas accordingly. I outlined this on KissFm radio of Sunday and I hopefully the advice helped people in preparing and dealing with such fires.

It is important, however, to note that in forest fires it is not the high temperatures that produces the fires. In general it is human activity, often by carelessness, sometimes intentionally. The fires are facilitated by the existence of these high temperatures, the low humidity of the air, which make the vegetation dry and is more likely for it to ignite, and spread. We have to be even more careful. Unfortunately, we see that this is not what happens. Often, people undertake activities that they think will not have any consequences and cause these fires.

Safe Communities Portugal monitored the Odemira fire from the start and we created a major incident page on our website. To make it easier to follow. It was apparent from the outset that this would be a difficult fire to suppress, due to many factors such and deep and enclosed valleys which are difficult to access on land by fire fighters and track machines, the variable weather with high temperatures and in particular gusty and variable wind conditions sometimes up to 80 km/h.

These challenges were described by ANEPC as; “an area of interest approaching 9,000 ha, characterized by extensive areas of pine forest, adult and young eucalyptus, cork oaks, strawberry trees and bushes and a scattered building and rural/urban interface zones that required a dispersion of combat means for actions to protect the populations and protected heritage. As a result of the steep slope with embedded valleys, along with the constant reactivations, these became quickly out of suppression capacity, aggravated by the lack of conditions conducive to progression with crawler machines in the consolidation process”.

Taking advantage of improved weather conditions overnight 8th/9th August the fire has been brought to a resolution today, but with increasing temperatures in the Algarve later today, with an orange level warning in place, some reactivations are inevitable.

Since the beginning of the year, more than 5,529 fire events have already affected 19,106 hectares of rural areas. Yesterday: there 153 and 170 on Monday.

The question also arose whether or not the government should declare a Situation of Alert to help deal with the outbreak of fires.

Secretary of State for Civil Protection announced this was being assessed on Sunday, taking into account the operational response to combat the fires and weather conditions. However, “as time progressed”, and based on a permanent daily assessment, “the situation began to change slightly” to a meteorological picture quite different from the one that we had initially in the middle of the afternoon of Sunday”. Therefore, it is necessary to understand that this is an instrument absolutely exceptional, as well as the declaration of the state of contingency.

Let us hope that we do not have to embark on these sort of measures as we did in 2022 during the heatwave, when there were more fires over a longer period.

The response to the creation of our new Facebook group, Safe Communities Portugal has exceeded expectations with close to 1700 members in just 40 days since it was formed. This group fills a vacuum as its aim is to increase risk awareness and preparedness, so everyone knows how to reduce the impact of major disasters where possible and action to take during such events. We have covered major fire events and will continue to do so during the months ahead. We ask people to monitor closely weather reports and in particular fire risks and dangers.

With that please have a safe week ahead.

 

 

Situation Report Azores 9th August 2023 

 

 By our Azores correspondent

Sewage flowing into the lagoon of Caldeira do Santo Cristo in São Jorge 

Sewage from homes is flowing into the lagoon of Caldeira do Santo Cristo, on the island of São Jorge, says the president of the Association of Clam Producers.

Caldeira do Santo Cristo has been classified as a nature reserve since 1984, based on several criteria, including its origin and geology, as well as due to the presence of the clam Tapes decussatus.

In 1989 it was transformed into a Special Ecological Area, aiming to safeguard the clam population and maintain the ecological balance of the area.

It is also part of the Ramsar network, being, like the other fajãs of São Jorge, UNESCO Biosphere reserves.

José Borges, president of the Association of Clam Producers of Fajã do Santo Cristo said that there are ancient ruins where summer houses and tourist projects are built where “sewers, kitchens and bathrooms are set up that will drain to the lagoon”.

“The summer houses or local lodgings are all made with septic tanks, facing the lagoon. Once saturated, with the winter rains, and some in the summer, everything comes to the lagoon”, declares José Borges.

In Caldeira do Santo Cristo, a significant community once lived, but today there are only about a dozen permanent inhabitants, which is much sought after by tourists for its natural beauty.


Navy rescues 57-year-old crew member 

A 57-year-old man from Sri Lanka, a crew member of the federal merchant ship Kushiro, sailing about 700 nautical miles south of Ponta Delgada, was rescued on suspicion of having a stroke, announced the Navy.

PSP detains four men in São Miguel 

The Public Security Police (PSP) announced the arrest of four men as part of the regular operational activity carried out by the Police Division of Ponta Delgada.

Three of these individuals, aged between 31 and 35, were arrested in the municipalities of Lagoa, Ponta Delgada and Vila Franca do Campo, one of them for the crime of driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, with a BAC higher than 1.20 g/l, and two for the crime of driving without a legal license for the purpose.

According to the PSP, a 42-year-old man was also arrested in the municipality of Lagoa for the crime of introduction in a place closed to the public.

The Public Security Police also reported the arrest of two men, aged 21 and 59, in the municipalities of Santa Cruz da Graciosa and Praia da Vitória, for the crime of driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, with a BAC higher than 1.20 g/l.

 

The Algarve Report 9 Aug 2023

by Mike Evans

Good day to you all, this past week the big news is the number of fires which are ongoing or have been extinguished across the country but also in the Algarve region. As I write the big fire in Odemira on the west coast area is still burning ( Tuesday) and currently more than 900 firefighters are tackling the forest fire along with over 300 vehicles and 6 air resources. We have seen particularly hot and windy conditions this past week which obviously exacerbates the fires and allows them to take hold.

We can all help by making sure that no sparks or flames are allowed to happen unintentionally and that we all adhere to the rules which surround the use of garden equipment and barbecues. Don’t forget if you see a fire or smell smoke call 112 first and foremost. We will continue to monitor the fire situation across the country so keep an eye on our facebook page to see the latest information.

Now a look at what else is making the news in our area this past week.

Two Men arrested trying to steal Fast Boats from VSRA

The Coastal Control Unit (UCC) detained this Monday, August 7th, two men of foreign nationality, aged 23 and 24, for attempting to steal high-speed boats from the mooring pier of the Coastal Control Sub Detachment of Vila Real de Santo António (VRSA), reported the GNR .

The two suspects, who were hooded, were detected at 4:00 am by soldiers from the Maritime Team of the VRSA Coastal Control Sub Detachment, “when they entered the mooring pier, skirting the fence and immediately heading towards two vessels used for patrolling and interception. ”, specifies the GNR in a statement. “Equipped with tools, they immediately began to work on the engines and ignition guns, in order to put them into operation, with the aim of stealing maritime resources at the service of the GNR”, continues the note.

The prompt intervention of the UCC soldiers made it possible to detain two suspects, one of whom collaborated “with the verbal orders of the military, immediately ceasing his movements, and another started to flee by swimming, ending up being intercepted shortly afterwards, still close to the pier”. , details. Considering the modus operandi used, the GNR believes that “there are strong suspicions of the relationship between the arrested individuals and other similar situations, related to the theft of vessels belonging to the security forces”, it can be read.

Since the beginning of 2023, the GNR has detected “three attempts to steal vessels” and three arrests have been made. “These attempted thefts are largely related to the intervention of the UCC in the fight against international narcotics criminal networks by sea and which, since the beginning of the year, has allowed the seizure of six high-speed vessels and about five tons of hashish”, he points out.

The two men remain in custody and will be present at the Vila Real de Santo António Judicial Court.

Three 23-year-olds are remanded in custody for robberies in Albufeira

The Faro Territorial Command of the GNR , through the Territorial Sub-detachment of Albufeira, arrested three 23-year-old men for robbery in the municipality of Albufeira, on August 1, announced the GNR.

“Following a denunciation of disrespect in the area of ​​Praia da Oura, in Albufeira, the military went to the place and found that six young people, aged between 17 and 23, had been victims of aggression and robbery by a group of three individuals who fled in a vehicle”, describes the GNR in a statement.

The GNR military “carried out steps and managed to intercept, in the vicinity, the vehicle used by the suspects and detain them”, continues the note. During the police action it was possible to seize “two cell phones; one wallet; a suitcase; a wooden stick; and a vehicle”, he details.

The action was reinforced by military personnel from the Criminal Prevention and Community Policing Section (SPCPC) and the Criminal Investigation Nucleus (NIC) in Albufeira, as well as military personnel from the Public Order Intervention Group (GIOP) from the Intervention Unit (UI)

The three detainees were present at the Judicial Court of Albufeira on the 2nd of August, having applied the coercive measure of pre-trial detention.

Man arrested for drug trafficking in county

A 41-year-old man was arrested red-handed on Wednesday, August 2, in the municipality of Castro Marim , for drug trafficking, announced the National Republican Guard (GNR).

The arrest was made by the Faro Territorial Command , through the Tavira Territorial Post and the Tavira Criminal Investigation Nucleus during a road inspection action.

The suspect, when approached, showed suspicious behaviour, which led to a search of the vehicle and a narcotic product was found. After police investigations, a search of his residence was carried out, where more narcotic product was seized. During this action, 4264 doses of hashish, two doses of liamba, three cannabis plants, seven ammunition, two cutting knives, two precision bullets, six mobile phones, 1808.90 euros in cash, a vehicle and various equipment used in the packaging of the narcotic product.

The detainee is awaiting presentation to the Judicial Court of Vila Real de Santo António for the application of coercive measures. A 45-year-old woman was also accused.

The action included the reinforcement of the Environmental Protection Nucleus of the Territorial Detachment of Tavira, the Cinotechnical Section of the Intervention Detachment, the Territorial Post of Vila Real de Santo António and the Traffic Post of Tavira.

PJ arrests suspect on pornography of Minors charge in Faro

A man was detained by elements of the southern directorate of the Judiciary Police (PJ) with “thousands of videos and images” with pornography of minors, found on computer devices during searches carried out in Faro and Setúbal, it was announced on Wednesday .

In a statement, the PJ adds that the 30-year-old man is suspected of the crime of pornography of minors and was arrested as part of an investigation initiated after “complaints indicting the suspect for the practice of sexual acts with children”.

Also according to the PJ, the investigators carried out two house searches in the Faro and Setúbal area, which culminated in the arrest of the man, having found in the “computer searches of the various equipment” of the suspect “thousands of videos/images” with pornography of minors. The researchers suspect that “part of this material may have been shared with third parties not yet identified”, reads the note.

The PJ reveals that “conversations and sharing of content were also flagged” that “point strongly to the possibility of the suspect having had sexual relations, with children and young people, over the last few years”. During the searches, the PJ seized a computer, a hard disk, several external disks, two cell phones and a portable computer data storage device, as well as 54 grams of hashish and a precision scale.

“The investigation continues with a view to fully clarifying the facts, namely the identification of potential victims and other possible suspects”, adds the PJ.

According to the PJ, the detainee will still be present in court for the first judicial interrogation and the application of any coercive measures.

Man dies after feeling ill on Lota beach

A 58-year-old man died on the afternoon of Sunday, August 6, after feeling ill while bathing on Lota beach , in the municipality of Vila Real de Santo António , announced the National Maritime Authority.

The alert was given at 14:15 by the Lisbon Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center and elements of the Local Command of the Maritime Police of Vila Real de Santo António, from the “SeaWatch” project, Firefighters and Volunteers from Vila Real de Santo António and INEM.

The victim was pulled out of the water onto the beach by members of the public, with resuscitation manoeuvres carried out by the lifeguards until the arrival of SeaWatch, firefighters and INEM. The man was later transported, in very serious condition, to a hospital unit. The Maritime Police Psychology Office has been activated and is providing support to the victim’s family. The Local Command of the Maritime Police of Vila Real de Santo António took care of the occurrence.

1,400 evacuated as Odemira Fire bears down on Aljezur

Following on from our lead story we hear that the authorities today (Tuesday) have started to evacuate people from the various parts of São Teotónio parish and the Algarve border in Aljezur municipality.

Traffic on the EN120 leading to Odemira/ Cercal has been blocked, including access to municipal roads. The overriding message is that no-one should be driving in the vicinity of these fires unless it is to evacuate.

Police visited industrial areas this afternoon, advising garages to remove cars and combustible material to areas least exposed. Yesterday Around 100 people were evacuated from four locations, but there have been many more in terms of campers/ holidaymakers/ people living in ‘alternative structures’ on their own land, and villagers now from São Miguel, on the Alentejo/ Algarve border who have had to move to a safer area

In all 22 injuries have been reported, most light) although there are reports four people being hospitalised.

Flames forced the evacuation of 18 people in Monchique overnight

The fire raging in Odemira entered the late afternoon of Monday, the 7th, in the northern area of ​​the municipality of Monchique, forcing the evacuation of 18 people from their homes and a rural tourism unit.

Paulo Alves, mayor of the municipality, said this Tuesday that people were taken to the population service area installed at the Manuel Nascimento School, in Monchique.

“Some are still there, but the people who were in rural tourism have already left”, he added, adding that the tourist unit where some people were staying is located in the Foz do Besteiro area.

According to the mayor, the fire, which broke out on Saturday in the municipality of Odemira (Alentejan district of Beja), entered at the end of the afternoon in the area of ​​Alcanforado, in the parish of Marmelete, in an area of ​​confluence between the municipalities of Odemira, Aljezur and Monchique .

“The prevailing wind was from the southeast, but it rotated, causing projections that formed a fire front that developed towards Marmelete. It was fought at night by firefighters and crawler machines,” he described. According to Paulo Alves, the high humidity at night that was felt in the area helped to fight the fire, although at 10:00 am the mayor of that municipality was still unable to update the situation.

The work carried out during the night to fight the rural fire allowed for “stabilisation of the fire perimeter”, but there are still two critical points to motivate concern, according to Civil Protection.

“We maintain two critical points: one to the north, in the area of ​​Delfeira, which inspires a lot of concern, and also to the south, on the front facing Monchique”, said the regional commander of Emergency and Civil Protection of the Alentejo, José Ribeiro, at a point of situation to journalists around 9:30 am, at the command post in São Teotónio, parish where the fire started, in the Baiona area. José Ribeiro referred that, after the operations prioritised the defence of the populations – the GNR has already moved 1,438 citizens as a precaution -, there was an adjustment of the strategic plan and “the work of today will be more focused on the suppression of the fire”.

The number of people assisted by the National Institute of Medical Emergency ( INEM ) in this fire rose to 40, namely 28 firefighters, four civil protection agents and eight civilians, mainly due to fatigue.

As for the roads that have conditioned circulation, the regional commander explained that the situation remains in relation to Monday. In other words, the National Road (EN) 120, between São Teotónio and Odeceixe, in the neighbouring municipality of Aljezur, and the municipal roads 501, 1186, 1001 are cut off from traffic.

The rural fire in an area of ​​bush and pine forest has entered the Algarve on several occasions since Saturday, the 5th, and on Monday afternoon surrounded the centre of Odeceixe.

Until the next time stay Safe.

 

 

 

 

 

Portugal Safety and Security report Wednesday 2nd August 2023

“Largest security operation ever planned and executed in Portugal”, (Secretary General Internal Security System)

Good morning everyone – World Youth Day has finally started yesterday and the final day is on 6th August 2023 It is expected to attract between one million over 1.5 million people from all over the world in Lisbon alone.

The main WYD initiatives will take place in Lisbon, in Parque Eduardo VII, in the Belém area and in Parque Tejo (north of Parque das Nações and on land in the municipalities of Lisbon and Loures).Some areas where major events will be extremely crowded, and travel routes in the vicinity of the areas will also be congested at times. An example there will be 343 check points to control access to Parque Eduardo VII.

Pope Francis will arrive in Lisbon at 10:00 am today Wednesday and return to Rome at 18:15 on Sunday.

This is an unprecedented security operation in which 16,000 members of the: security, civil protection and medical emergency forces will be deployed, with the collaboration of the Armed Forces and the Spanish, European (Europol) and international police (Interpol). The aim is to ensure that everyone has a safe and enjoyable visit.

Some of the police operational work will included a major anti pickpocketing operation, assisted by representatives from police in, Germany and Belgium, and stepped beach patrols on beaches along the Lisbon Cascais line.

The weather will be hot but not a heatwave, and there are health pointed signposted at locations where the main events are being held. We urge people to drink plenty of water to remain hydrated and use sunscreen and wear loose fitting clothes and wide brimmed hats to protect from the UV, which is forecast to be very high.

Included in the security measures is a prohibition on certain items you can’t take with you to the JMJ main event venues. This included: drones, fireworks, pyrotechnics, laser pointers, knives, glass objects like bottles. Due to the relocation of Pope Francis to the Shrine of Fatima, the use of unmanned aircraft (Drones) in the Cova da Iria airspace will be prohibited from July 29 to August 6, 2023. At all times follow the instructions of the security forces.

As an innovative step the IPMA have launched a microsite with meteorological information for quick information available will be for the airport, Central and east Lisbon covering the areas where the highest number of participants are expected. This is in English and Portuguese and very well presented except we would like to have seen UV included.

World Youth Day will cause constraints to traffic, with absolute restrictions from Parque Eduardo VII to downtown Lisbon on the 1st, 3rd and 4th of August, and constraints in the Parque das Nações area and on the Passeio Marítimo de Algés in the August 5th and 6th. There will be certain stations on the yellow and blue metro lines where stations are closed. We recommend therefore that people use public transport, and for those registered, transport provided by the organisers.

We also highlight that waste produced must be deposited in containers for recycling and, if it is not recyclable, place it in the undifferentiated container; Do not discard waste as you can image the situation if everyone did this with over a million people attending.

With so many people some criminals may take advantage of this and we emphasize the importance of keeping your property safe. There are many tips on the WYD website (In English) but we highlight to carry your wallet/cell phone in your back pocket or backpack, store them in a front pocket or zipped pouch that is always in contact with your body; always have your mobile phone with battery and the contact details of the other members of your group. In such crowds it is easy for people to become detached from people in their group or family members so ensure that you have their details and all have details of accommodation of where you are staying.

For those of you from overseas we welcome you to Portugal and to events in Lisbon. Have a safe stay and enjoyable stay. Complete details are on the WYD website: https://www.lisboa2023.org/en and safety and security updates on the Safe Communities Portugal Facebook page and that of Brits in Portugal

News

WYD: PSP and GNR registered 43 occurrences and arrested 91 people on Sunday

Lisbon, 31 July 2023 (Lusa) – PSP and GNR recorded 43 incidents related to World Youth Day (WYD) and arrested 91 people in the last 24 hours, said the Internal Security System (SSI) today.

According to a note from the SSI, which contains data provided by the entities that make up the WYD23 communication cell, the Public Security Police detained, on Sunday, 83 people and the National Republican Guard eight.

Most arrests are related to driving with excess alcohol, driving without a legal license, drug trafficking, thefts and robberies.

In the statement, the GNR reports that it involved, in the last 24 hours, 1,769 military personnel in 621 patrolling and awareness-raising actions.

Of the 39 incidents related to WYD registered by the GNR, the corporation highlights the three identified unauthorized ‘drones’, in which it was possible to identify a citizen, and the disturbances in a nightlife establishment in the municipality of Vendas Novas, in which 11 were identified. citizens, between a group of residents and a group of WYD participants, as well as a pilgrim who was run over in the municipality of Ourém and who suffered minor injuries.

The PSP indicates that it registered four occurrences, three of which in Lisbon and one in Elvas.

The Police specify that, in Elvas, a pilgrim from Congo got lost from the rest of the group and, in Lisbon, in Parque do Perdão, an inscription in English with the meaning of “500 victims of abuse by the Priests” and, on Avenida Marquês Tomar, in the Nossa Senhora de Fátima Church, there was a disagreement between Egyptian pilgrims.

Also at the Vasco da Gama Shopping Centre, in Lisbon, the PSP reports that a pilgrim of Croatian nationality was the victim of theft, having had his camera stolen.

The PSP also indicates that, in terms of road accidents, it registered 103 accidents that caused two deaths and 42 serious injuries.

WYD, considered the biggest event of the Catholic Church that will count on the presence of Pope Francis, takes place in Lisbon from Tuesday to Sunday.

The main ceremonies of the day take place in Parque Tejo, north of Parque das Nações, on the riverside of the Tagus, in lands in the municipalities of Lisbon and Loures, and in Parque Eduardo VII, in the center of the capital.

PSP detected situations of fraud related to meals and transport of pilgrims

At a press conference on WYD security, Artur Querido, from the Foreigners and Borders Service, revealed that on Monday, July 31st, more than 150,000 entries were registered in Portugal.

“The first major challenge for the security forces, Civil Protection and emergency medical teams is posed today at the end of the afternoon with the mass in Parque Eduardo VII whose turnout can reach 200 thousand pilgrims”.

More than 2000 buses are expected in parking spaces and Lisbon residents “must be prepared” to feel the first major constraints. “Therefore, the words that are addressed to residents and workers are: understanding, patience, unity, civility and hospitality. We are used to receiving well and we will continue to do so”.

PSP, which also participated in this conference, spoke about some situations of fraud with meals for pilgrims. “We were faced with two criminal situations. One related to speculation, in which pilgrims are contacted by drivers supposedly hired by the organization to transport them to their reception places, later demanding large sums for that service”.

“Another situation that was reported to us is the fraudulent use of QR codes from the credentials of pilgrims who have the food service. Situation used in an abusive way and when the pilgrim is going to use the meal, someone else has already done so”.