Archives: Situation Reports

Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 5^th April 2023

Good morning – On Monday the Minister of Internal Administration (MAI) warned that 2023 will be “even more difficult” than 2022 in fighting forest fires, asking people and institutions to prepare.

“What I can say is that for all the indicators we have today, the year 2023 will be even more difficult than the year 2022 was”, said José Luís Carneiro to journalists adding that everyone has to do their part. “We have to prepare, we are preparing, but it is clear that the means are always limited in emergency circumstances and what we have to do is each one’s part”, he stressed.

Although some may dismiss this as a political statement, it was the same Minister who last year warned that forthcoming heatwaves would be more severe in 2022 than that of 2017 – and he was right.

What the Minister is in effect saying that there is only so much the government can do to prevent and fight fires when they occur – and since 2017 they have done a great deal. However extreme weather conditions have increased and as a result there is the potential for fires to burn with greater intensity putting larger areas at risk.

All of us in the community have a role to play. Firstly land cleaning. Remember land cleaning must be completed by 30th April 2023. Doing this will reduce the risk of a fire affecting your home. Institutions as well must carry out land cleaning close to roads and either side of power cables etc.

We all know that fire fighters and I mean by that all entities involved: Bombeiros, GNR, Forest Sappers, aircraft pilots and the civil protection special force do an incredible job, as a team, in fighting fires – BUT resources are finite and in major fires there cannot be a “fire fighter behind every tree.”  If there is a fire, therefore, knowing what steps to take before fire fighters arrive is vitally important and can save casualties.

The minister’s statement reinforces the repeated advice, since the beginning of the year, that Safe Communities Portugal has provided through: the media, Facebook, radio and through our newsletter. Be aware and be prepared!

It is important to check if you are living in a high risk area. Use this link to monitor your area’s risk:

https://www.ipma.pt/en/riscoincendio/rcm.pt/

If you are in a high risk area, we advise you to formulate a plan by having an emergency kit in case you have to leave home quickly. In such circumstances it is very important to follow the instructions of the emergency services, especially in cases of preventive evacuations. Most people underestimate the intensity of wildfires and deciding to remain at home and defend your property could be a fatal mistake!

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of those living in rural areas of understanding the risks (risk awareness) and following advice of the authorities which we promote.

With Easter approaching there will be many more tourists and with the forecasts pointing to higher temperatures over the Easter weekend there is likely to be many more people using the beaches. We wish to stress the importance therefore of beach safety especially as most beaches at this time of the year do not have lifeguards.

Be particularly aware of dangerous cliffs which are well sign posted and be on the lookout for rip currents – something we have emphasised in our Facebook posts. Please keep an eye on young children in particular and ensure they keep away from the water edge unless accompanied. Tragically over the years there have been several pool deaths in villas so please keep an eye on children and do not leave them alone near pools. Our team at Safe Communities Portugal wish everyone a very Safe and Happy Easter.

News

Portuguese F-16 fighter jets intercepted Russian military aircraft in the Baltic Sea

Lisbon, 04 Apr 2023 (Lusa) – Two Portuguese F-16 fighters identified and escorted a Russian military aircraft IL-76 off the coast of Estonia, on the Baltic Sea, on Sunday, as part of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission, announced this Monday at the Atlantic Alliance.

The Russian aircraft was flying from mainland Russia to the enclave of Kaliningrad over international waters off Estonia’s Baltic Sea coast, NATO explained in a statement posted on its website.

“Since there was no flight plan, neither was the plane in contact with air traffic control nor was it using its transponder, NATO’s Northern Combined Air Operations Center in Uedem, Germany, ordered the F-16s to be launched and confirmed the details of the unknown aircraft”, detailed the Atlantic Alliance.

The Portuguese fighters, which had the first alert output on their second day of the mission, were launched from Šiauliai, in Lithuania.

“After identifying and escorting the Russian plane, the Portuguese fighters safely returned to Šiauliai. This was a routine event,” he added.

For the commander of the Portuguese detachment, Lieutenant Colonel José Dias, quoted in the statement, the operation was a demonstration of “the excellent commitment, dedication and professionalism of all the elements that make up the detachment.”

Portugal leads the 62nd rotation of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission. Four F-16s arrived early last week and assumed responsibility for protecting NATO’s regional airspace alongside the F-16s of the Romanian Air Force on March 30, the Atlantic Alliance added.

Since the accession of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in 2004, NATO allies have taken turns deploying an air policing capability to Šiauliai to protect the territorial integrity of the three Baltic allies in a strong demonstration of Alliance cohesion and solidarity, he added. the organization.

Submarine ‘Arpão’ leaves Tuesday for 120-day mission in the South Atlantic

Lisbon, 03 Apr 2023 (Lusa) – The Navy announced today that the  submarine ‘Arpão’ leaves Tuesday from the Lisbon Naval Base to participate in the ‘Mar Aberto’ initiative in the South Atlantic, until the beginning of August, with a crew of 35 soldiers.

In a statement, the branch details that this will be the first Portuguese submarine to carry out a mission of this type, “also being the first time that a national submarine crosses the Equator” which put “the operational logistical capacity of the Navy to the test.”

The ‘Mar Aberto 23.2’ initiative aims to “develop bilateral and multilateral cooperation actions, and naval presence and diplomacy, namely within the scope of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries, Coordinated Maritime Presences in the Gulf of Guinea and the ‘5+5 Defense’ Initiative ‘, with Morocco.”

“During this period, the ‘Arpão’ submarine also contributes to maritime security in an area of ​​operations located in the South Atlantic Ocean, between the coast of Brazil and the West African coast,” said the Navy.

For 120 days, the submarine will visit two continents and five countries: Cape Verde, Brazil, South Africa, Angola and Morocco, “traveling more than 13,000 miles, totaling around 2,500 hours of navigation.”

The garrison will be commanded by the frigate captain Taveira Pinto.

“The ‘Arpão’ mission will contribute to the strengthening of military and diplomatic cooperation relations between Portugal and each of the countries visited, with special focus on the celebrations of the Day of Portugal, Camões and the Portuguese Communities, which this year takes place in Africa do Sul and will be attended by His Excellency the President of the Republic,” reads the statement.

The Navy also points out that the “operational characteristics of the submarine give it the capacity to carry out discreet patrols at any time of the year and in any place, thus guaranteeing that the waters under national sovereignty or jurisdiction, or any other where its presence is required, may have an extra guarantee of navigation safety”.

Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 29^th March 2023

Good morning – The headlines yesterday was the knife attack at the Islamic centre in Lisbon, by a man apparently an Afghan national which left two Portuguese women, Mariana Jadaugy, 24, and Farana Sadrudin, age 49 both who worked at the centre dead and a third person, a teacher ,seriously injured. PSP arrived at the scene within one minute and immobilised the assailant by shooting him the leg, whereupon he was taken to hospital. The incident is being investigated by the Judicial Police Counterterrorism unit. Only an investigation will determine whether this was an act of terrorism and the motivation behind this. We have placed an article concerning the two victims in this report today

The prime minister addressed condolences to the families of the victims, noted the prompt intervention of the PSP and clarified that, so far, “everything indicates that it was an isolated act”, but admits that it is premature to draw conclusions and asks that the conclusions are reached by the authorities. This is as far we are aware unprecedented in Portugal.

Yesterday we reported on a major fire in the Castellón forest Valencia Region which has devastated 4,300 hectares and a perimeter of approximately 50 square kilometre since last Thursday and has forced the evacuation of 1,600 people. This is the first major fire of the year in Spain, and it is not yet clear what could have caused it. According to the Spanish State Meteorological Agency, in the Valencian Community there has been an “average rainfall deficit” of 35% since October 1, 2022, with the last months being classified as “very dry”. In 2022, 493 fires destroyed a record 307,000 hectares of land in Spain.

Temperatures in the area are in the region of 30C, low humidity and difficult terrain, with much on the attack on the fire being undertaken by around 20 aircraft/helicopters – sounds familiar?

Last year during the heatwave this was often the scenario in Portugal, and as a result some of the fires in particular the Serra da Estrela fire continued for several days. When weather conditions become extreme with extremely dry vegetation resulting from drought, fires fanned by high winds can burn with great intensity. This is when they become very dangerous. The technical definition is “that a fire reaching 2000 GJ of released energy (characteristic energy of a severe and difficult to fight fire) Source IPMA.

As you may have seen in addition to the fire risk map we now publish each day the Fire Hazard Index map. This comprises six indices that quantify the effects of fuel moisture and wind on fire behaviour, and indicates the potential intensity and spread of rural fires. It is important to understand this as the more intense a fire becomes the greater the likely spread and the more difficult it becomes to bring the fire under control. In fact at a certain point the use of water from fire hoses, for example, has little effect as it evaporates before reach the flames. It is in these situations that preventive evacuations become necessary well before fires reach populated areas.

We urge everyone living in rural areas particular high risk areas link here: to follow the forecasts DAILY in order to be aware when the risk is very high as it is today in the Algarve or extreme.  Please be aware that at very high risk and above, Authorization is required to burn cut and piled waste, risk levels below this simply require prior registration.

On this theme at the Mediterranean Garden Fair in Silves last weekend we conducted a survey testing people’s awareness of rural fire awareness and preparedness, as well as actions to take in an earthquake or tsunami. The results showed that most key messages are getting through but very few were aware of the difference between “registration” and “authorization” as set out above. Generally speaking it is not wise to undertake burns when the risk is very high and people are discouraged from doing so – hence specific authorisation is required and only given after full consideration of the application and weather conditions.

In the same survey less than half were aware of the deadline for land cleaning which is 30^th April 2023.

When it came to tsunami respondents fared better, but not everyone was aware that the warning of an approaching tsunami is the sudden tide.

News

Suspect in attack at Ismaili Centre is of Afghan nationality and victims are Portuguese

Lisbon, 28 March 2023 (Lusa) – The presumed perpetrator of the attack today at the Ismaili Centre in Lisbon is of Afghan nationality, while the two women killed by the alleged suspect are of Portuguese nationality, a police source told Lusa.

The victims, in their 20s and 40s, were inside the Ismaili Centre, on Avenida Lusíada, when a man entered the space with a bladed weapon.

In a statement, the PSP reported that the attack took place at 11:00 am and that it was carried out by “a man armed with a large knife”, with the PSP shooting at the suspect, who is at the Hospital de San Jose, Lisbon.

According to a communiqué from the national directorate of the PSP, the attack “with a bladed weapon” on the Ismaili center was reported to the police at 10:57 am, with the first agents who responded to the occurrence arriving at the scene a minute later.

“The police came across a man armed with a large knife. Orders were given to the attacker to cease the attack, which he disobeyed, advancing towards the policemen, with the knife in his hand”, revealed the PSP, adding that, in the face of this “serious threat”, the agents shot at the attacker, “hitting and neutralizing the aggressor”.

In a statement sent to Lusa, the president of the National Council of the Ismaili Muslim Community, Rahim Firozali, revealed that the attack took place when classes and other activities were taking place at the Ismaili Centre, but said he did not know the motivations of the man who entered the center’s premises armed with a sharp object.

At the moment, investigations by the Judiciary Police are ongoing.

The aggressor was transported to Hospital de São José (Lisbon), where he is being treated for injuries caused by the intervention of the PSP.

A source from the National Institute of Medical Emergencies (INEM) contacted by Lusa said that the alert was given at 10:53 am: “There are two dead on record and two seriously injured, one of whom was taken to the Hospital de São José and the other, by own means, to the Hospital of Santa Maria.”

In turn, a source from Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Norte confirmed that Hospital de Santa Maria received a man who arrived at the unit by his own means. The victim is “in his 30s” and has “slight injuries to his chest” after being stabbed.

In the note released at the end of the morning, the PSP appealed to the serenity and tranquillity of citizens, noting that “the necessary staff were mobilized for the implementation of adequate and urgent security measures”. 

Mariana and Farana – Here are the victims of the attack on the Ismaili Centre

Mariana Jadaugy, 24, and Farana Sadrudin, 49, were identified as the two fatalities in Tuesday’s attack on the Ismaili Centre in Lisbon. The Portuguese women were stabbed by the Afghan man, who entered the room where the English class was taking place, armed with a large knife.

The information is advanced by CNN Portugal, which revealed that Farana was the niece of the diplomatic representative of the Ismaili Imamat in Portugal, Nazim Ahmad, and was also a representative of the Ismaili community in Madrid, in addition to having a degree in Engineering from the Escola Superior de Tecnologia de Setúbal. In addition, she was a member of the Council for Subsidies and Review and Member of the Council for Conciliation and Arbitration for Portugal in the Ismaili Community, and had worked since December 2021 at the FOCUS-Assistance Humanitarian Foundation, where she managed the process of organic integration of refugees.

In turn, Mariana had a degree in Political Sciences and International Relations from the Universidade Nova de Lisboa, and a master’s degree in the same area, held at the Higher Institute of Economics and Management of the University of Lisbon. The young woman worked as a volunteer at ReFood for a year, in addition to her work at FOCUS.

Both ended up dying on the spot. The attack also injured another teacher, who is in serious condition at Hospital de Santa Maria, in Lisbon. The suspect, who was arrested and shot in the lower limbs by the Public Security Police, was transported to the São José Hospital, where he underwent surgery.P

Portugal Situation and Security Report Wednesday 22^nd March 2023

Although in many areas of the mainland it has been a fairly wet winter, with most reservoirs near full, with the exception of the Algarve, the weather ahead as far as the supply of water is not so optimistic.

According to a report released on Monday by the European Commission, because of an “exceptionally dry and warm winter, soil moisture and river flow already show significant anomalies” in countries such as France, Spain and Italy. Portugal was wetter but is also mentioned in the report.

The European Commission warned today of the possibility of an even drier summer than in previous years in Mediterranean countries and that “precipitation in the coming weeks will be crucial”.

The most negative and also most likely prediction is that “Europe and the Mediterranean region could experience an extreme summer this year, similar to 2022.” The Commission also warned that “most countries in the south and west of the European Union”, including Portugal, “are affected by an incipient drought where concerns about water supply, agriculture and energy production are growing.

An impact arising from this is the high risk of rural fires. Last year over 80% of these were in the north, owing to the heatwave in June/July which greatly affected the north and central regions. Although as mention the water in reservoirs is higher than at this time last year, it is important to look ahead and conserve water where we can. One way is to reduce watering in the garden by using plants that require far less water, such as succulents and cacti. If you are attending the Mediterranean Spring Gardening Fair in Silves this weekend there will be a workshop on this subject. Entrance to the fair is free. The second way is to ensure the cleaning of land which needs to be completed by 30^th April. Please see the news article following this introduction.

Safe Communities Portugal will be at the fair as usual and on this occasion we will be joined by the GNR SEPNA unit from Silves. Our stand no 32 will focus will be on land cleaning, fire safe gardens, safe wells, disaster risk awareness, rural fire prevention and protection, crime prevention, dealing weather extremes and more. The Nature and Environmental Protection Service (SEPNA), is constituted as an environmental police, competent to monitor, supervise, report and investigate all violations of legislation aimed at protecting nature, the environment and natural heritage, throughout the national territory. They will be able to answer your questions on many different topics.

Remember to Mark Your Calendars for This Weekend Time Change…Spring Forward.

The country will advance the clock by one hour in the early hours of this Sunday. At 1 a.m. on March 26, in mainland Portugal and in the Autonomous Region of Madeira, the clock should be brought forward to 2 a.m., starting daylight saving time. In the Azores, the change will be made at 12 a.m., when the clocks should change to 1 a.m.

Portugal’s Tax Authority (AT) warned, this Monday 20th March, of the circulation of a fraudulent message, through which taxpayers are asked to access a link to send their income tax return, and are then sent to malicious pages. “AT is aware that some taxpayers are receiving e-mails, supposedly coming from AT, referring to a possible missing declaration of income, in which they are asked to click on a ‘link'”, he indicated, in a statement.

The Tax Authorities stressed that these messages are false and therefore should be ignored. There are many such false emails around at present particularly the tax authority, CTT and EDP. Also be cautious if they are asking you to click on a link in order to pay money. Almost certainly these are phishing attacks – so simply delete. If you have however you have paid a fraudster then this should be reported to police.

News

Government warns that fire risk increased by about 40% compared to 2022

Leiria, 21 Mar 2023 (Lusa) – The risk of fire in Portugal today is about 40% higher compared to 2022, said the Minister of Internal Administration, after a meeting with the GNR, in Monte Redondo, in the municipality of Leiria.

“Today we were able to hear from the GNR, which has a database that allows comparing various indicators, that in light of the indicators known today, the risk increases by about 40% compared to 2022 said José Luís Carneiro.

The Minister of Internal Administration was at the GNR post in Monte Redondo, where he received briefings from the military on the state of the national territory at the time when the Safe Forest Campaign is taking place, which aims to identify the owners of land that need cleaning, to prevent rural fires.

José Luís Carneiro then saw the work of the GNR in identifying land in default, having tried out the system used by the military.

“The GNR is currently on the ground across the country to raise awareness among local authorities and owners of the need to carry out the cleaning provided for in the law regarding the safety of buildings”, namely, “all areas surrounding the dwellings that must be subject to cleaning,” he said.

The assistant sergeant of the Emergency Protection and Relief Unit (UEPS), Rui Teixeira, explained that on the platform that the GNR has, it is possible to verify the critical places “that give incidence of rural fires from 2020 until now”.

“We are more severely affected in the north of the country – Viana do Castelo and inland Porto. We have more ignitions in Montalegre and Vila Real, which is already historic at this stage of the year”, he specified.

“It would be fundamental for the country to guarantee the resilience of population centers through the execution of the secondary network, since 85% of the occurrences, out of 10,958 in 2022, occurred within 500 meters of infrastructure, whether occupied by people or a business environment”, explained the military.

The minister underlined, therefore, the importance of investing in prevention and raising everyone’s awareness of the cleanliness of the grounds.

“In the summer, when we are faced with fires, we all have the feeling that resources are always limited for the country’s needs as a whole. The GNR went ahead with the awareness campaign in February across the country, a very valuable job, which has allowed for greater knowledge and greater ability to foresee risks. This is a collective duty” he insisted.

José Luís Carneiro recalled that, “in 2022, the European Union had more than 60% of rural and forest fires”.

The official explained: “in 2022 we had 47C degrees, humidity below 10% and winds above 60 kilometres per hour, which means that the risk of fire has increased exponentially”.

“This is everyone’s effort. From the central administration, from the Government, from the municipalities, from the owners and from each one of us. It is for this purpose and for this awareness that I am meeting with the GNR today. It is important that everyone fulfill their mission. It is not enough, when we are faced with fires, to ask the Minister of Internal Administration for an account. It is very important that everyone contributes to a safer country”, he reinforced.

Portugal Safety and Security Report Wednesday 15^th March 2023

Good morning – As anyone in business will know, understanding risk and mitigating risk is essential for the economic livelihood of the business. The same goes in understanding the risk of the occurrence and impact of natural disasters, such as rural fires and earthquakes for example – except the stakes are much higher, i.e. the risk of damage to your home, personal injury to you and your family and even worse!

At Safe Communities we spend considerable time identifying risks that can result in rural fires. Last year for instance just prior to the Gambelas fire in Faro, the weather conditions were extreme in the Algarve with the Fire Hazard (FWI) indicating critical levels above that of the fires of 2017, a point we made on our Facebook posts two days beforehand!

If more people had understood the risk would your activities and actions to prepare for possible fires have changed? Would you have done anything different on those days in reducing the risk of a fire reaching your home – last minute land cleaning, checking the gutters, moving the wood store further away from the house for instance, or oblivious to the risk have spent the time with a round of golf instead? It is a sobering thought!

Over the next few months I can assure you that risk awareness and risk communication will become one of the most common terms regarding preparedness for rural fires.   We will try to explain risk in an understandable way and count on your support in getting such key messages across. It is essential that such information is shared, people are prepared and adopt self-protection measures.

Risk does not only concern rural fires, but earthquakes and tsunamis and other disasters that may occur. As we have said before we cannot prevent catastrophes, such as earthquakes but we can reduce the effects, because we knew the risks and took the appropriation action beforehand and during the event itself.

A few days ago the GNR Gouveia, identified a 43-year-old man for the crime of forest fire, in the municipality of Seia.

Following a report the GNR went to the scene, having found out that the fire originated from an unauthorized burn, where the suspect, when trying to clear the area of bushes, did not adapt the necessary security measures, resulting in the fire burning an area of undergrowth and pine forest of approximately 0.08 ha, putting the surrounding forest area at risk. This case has been referred to the courts.

This again illustrates the importance of registering the fire in the case of the burning of cut and piled waste or as in this case seeking authorisation to undertake and extensive burn. Even one registered/authorised it is important to follow the safety precautions. If you do not then you can expect to be prosecuted.

A reminder that the cleaning of land to 50 metres surround your property (the main building) not the perimeter, for those living in rural areas need to be completed by 30^th April 2023. If you have neighbouring land that is overgrown within 50 metres of your property then this needs to be cleaned by the owner of that land. If the neighbour cannot be located, or refuses to clean then this should be reported.

Our team at Safe Communities wishes you a safe week ahead.

News

Illegal unloading of livestock effluent by livestock farmers

The GNR, through the Leiria Territorial Command, detected an illegal discharging of effluent by livestock farmers, on March 9, in the town of Ortigosa, Leiria municipality

Through a report, SEPNA elements detected a discharge of livestock effluent into the soil without any sort of treatment, coming from a livestock farm, using a submersible pump,

Due to the prompt intervention of the GNR, the effluent discharged did not reach the adjacent water lines, since, upon arrival at the site, the infraction was ceased after the power supply to the submersible pump had been disconnected.

This action resulted in the identification of livestock exploitation. A contra-ordination process was opened and the case handed over to the Portuguese Environment Agency, punishable with a fine of up to 144 thousand euros.

The Republican National Guard, through the Nature and Environmental Protection Service (SEPNA), has environmental and animal protection as a daily concern. To this end, the SOS Environment and Territorial Line (808 200 520) can be used permanently for reporting violations or clearing up questions.

Crackdown on criminal network that produced and distributed methamphetamine in Europe

With the support of Eurojust and Europol, judicial and law enforcement authorities in the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania and Slovakia have taken down an organised crime group (OCG) responsible for the production and distribution of at least 4.7 tonnes of methamphetamine in Europe. During a joint action, 16 suspects were arrested and over 3.3 million tablets containing raw material for the production of the drug were seized.

According to the investigation, the perpetrators used a Romanian company to purchase the precursors (raw materials) and incorporate them into two pharmaceutical products, 50 and 120 milligram tablets of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. They used a formula that allowed them to quickly extract these precursors afterwards for the production of methamphetamine in clandestine laboratories. One of the suspects was partner and director of this company.

The tablets produced in Romania were shipped to companies in several European countries that purchased them without having a marketing authorisation in those countries. The tablets did not reach their declared destination, but were sent to various locations in Poland. From there, the shipments were split into smaller quantities and delivered to the Czech Republic and Slovakia, where they were distributed to clandestine laboratories.

Using the ‘Czech method’ of producing methamphetamine in clandestine laboratories, approximately 0.70 kg of methamphetamine was obtained from one kilogram of ephedrine/pseudoephedrine hydrochloride.

Between January 2021 and February 2023, the members of the criminal group allegedly organised the transport and delivery of 168,788,870 tablets containing ephedrine and pseudoephedrine (approximately 6.7 tonnes of ephedrine hydrochloride), from which a total quantity of at least 4.7 tonnes of methamphetamine could be produced.

COMMENT

The number of people using methamphetamine in Europe is considerable and one hopes that this will have some impact. Excellent work and collaboration by all the security forces involved.