The Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 4th September 2024

– Mike Evans

A very good day to you all. As we reach the end of summer according to many, there are a number of issues which are affecting the Algarve and are in one sense fairly unique to the region. The major issue continues to be the water situation. The latest figures show that the reservoirs which feed the region have dropped significantly over the past month.  The amount of water stored in river basins has fallen across almost the entire country, including in the south of the country, according to the National Water Resources Information System  data, the amount of water stored fell in August in 11 river basins and rose in one (Lima), compared to the last day of the previous month.

In the Barlavento Algarve river basin , the amount of water retained fell from 19% in July to 16.7% in August. This basin continues to be the one with the lowest amount of water reserves. According to SNIRH data, the Arade basin was at 34.8% at the end of August (37.7% in July). The amount of water also dropped in the Mira basin from 39.4% (in July) to 38.4% in August.

On the last day of August, the Guadiana (79.5%), Oeste (76.9%), Cávado (75.7%), Mondego (73.6%) and Douro (68.1%) basins had the highest volume of water. The August 2024 storages by river basin were higher than the August storage averages (1990/91 to 2022/23), except in the Lima, Tejo, Mira, Ribeiras do Algarve and Arade basins. Of the 58 monitored reservoirs, 10 had water availability above 80% of the total volume and another 15 below 40%. It is obvious that we all need to do more to preserve water and we can but hope that the rains come sooner rather than later.

Another issue on the minds of the people in the Faro region is safety. Renowned for its beaches, mild climate and as a tourist industry, the city faces a growing challenge that threatens the safety and well-being of residents and visitors: the lack of policing. This problem has raised concerns among locals, business owners and tourists, who feel increasingly vulnerable to a possible increase in crime. The district of Faro, divided into 16 municipalities and 84 parishes, has seen its population increase significantly, especially during the peak tourist season. However, the police force has not increased at the same rate, leading to an overload of available officers. The Police Professionals’ Trade Union Association (ASPP/PSP) and other trade unions have warned of the lack of human resources in the region’s security forces, especially during the summer.

According to PORDATA data, the “Personnel serving in the police and other bodies supporting investigation”, namely Public Security Police (PSP) agents and soldiers of the National Republican Guard (GNR), in 1993 there were 18,440 PSP agents, rising to 21,924 in 2022. However, the GNR did not have positive records. Despite having 24,102, in the same year, it lost 1,659 agents in around 30 years.

The shortage of police officers has negative impacts, including an increase in crime. Recently, there have been reports of several incidents in the Oura area of ​​Albufeira, which has been regularly reported due to the clashes and disturbances that have been occurring, especially at this time of year. With these issues in mind the inauguration of the Video Surveillance cameras in Faro have come at the right time for residents. There are already cameras operating in Olhao and Portimao and the first arrests from the use of the cameras in Faro came in the past week.

Now a look at some of the other stories that have happened in the last 7 days across the region.

Collision between vehicles leaves four injured in Aljezur

Four people were injured this Tuesday, two of them seriously, as a result of a collision between two light vehicles on the National Road (EN) 120, in Rogil , in Aljezur, said a source from Civil Protection. According to the Algarve Regional Emergency and Civil Protection Command, the accident occurred at 1:46 pm, forcing the interruption of traffic on that road, which has since been reestablished, in the Feiteirinha area, in the parish of Rogil, in Aljezur.

According to the same source, the seriously injured are two women, aged 32 and 59, who were transported by helicopter from the National Institute of Medical Emergency ( INEM ) to the Faro unit of the Algarve University Hospital Centre (CHUA). The causes of the collision between the two vehicles “are unknown and are being investigated” by the GNR’s Traffic Accident Criminal Investigation Unit (NICAV), he pointed out.

The assistance and rescue operations involved a total of 26 members of the Aljezur Volunteer Firefighters, INEM and GNR, supported by nine vehicles and a helicopter.

Second suspect of robbery and kidnapping in Portimão arrested

The Judicial Police ( PJ ) arrested on Wednesday the second suspect of a robbery and kidnapping committed at a residence in Portimão, on Saturday, a crime for which the authorities had already made a first arrest, announced that police corporation.

This second arrest resulted from investigations carried out by the Criminal Investigation Department of the PJ of Portimão, which considers that it has collected evidence that demonstrates the practice of a crime of “qualified robbery and kidnapping”, with two victims, who were in the residence when the detainees entered.

“The suspect, in co-authorship with another man, whose arrest was reported yesterday [Tuesday] by this Police, had arranged to meet two women at their home and, under threat of a knife, with the intention of robbing them, ended up handcuffing them and isolating them in one of the rooms of the house”, described the PJ in a statement. The Judiciary highlighted that one of the men then remained to watch the victims while the other searched for valuables around the house, where he ended up finding and stealing “a large amount of money and an electronic device”.

The man arrested today, aged 39, has a history of drug trafficking and will still be brought before the court for his first judicial interrogation and the application of any coercive measures, added the criminal police body. On Tuesday, the PJ announced the arrest of a first suspect of having kidnapped two women during a robbery at a home in Portimão, carried out under threat of a knife and during which the victims were tied up and covered over their mouths.

The PJ said at the time that the detainee, aged 35, had acted in collaboration with another man, whose arrest was carried out today by the criminal police body. The Judiciary then said that the facts dated back to last Saturday, when the two men arranged to meet at the women’s house and, under threat of a knife, handcuffed them “with clamps on their wrists” and covered their mouths “with adhesive tape”. The perpetrators then forced the women to “stay in the bathroom” while they searched for and stole valuables inside the residence.

273 counterfeit items seized in VRSA

Police authorities seized 273 counterfeit items in Vila Real de Santo António, during inspections carried out in the towns of Monte Gordo and Manta Rota, announced the GNR .

During the inspections carried out, the GNR detected counterfeit products in “three establishments” and also in “street vendors, who were also selling” these products in the two bathing areas of the municipality of Vila Real de Santo António, the GNR said in a statement. Among the material seized were 128 football club shirts, 33 towels, 28 caps, 84 pins alluding to football clubs, listed the security force, clarifying that four men and one woman, between 35 and 45 years old, were identified, and the facts reported to the Court of Vila Real de Santo António.

AMN and Navy seize three fast boats and identify 11 men

Portuguese authorities seized three high-speed vessels that were south of Portugal, in international waters, and identified 11 suspects, in an operation to combat drug trafficking, it was announced on Saturday, the 31st.

The operation took place between Wednesday and Friday (28 and 30 August), involving the National Maritime Authority (AMN) and the Portuguese Navy, with support in one of the actions from a Portuguese Air Force aircraft , with high-speed pursuits of the suspicious vessels being carried out, the AMN said in a statement. “During the chases, carried out at high speed, one of the suspect vessels, in order to avoid being approached, tried to ram one of the vessels that were chasing it laterally, putting the lives of the Navy personnel at risk , and the accident was avoided at the last moment with evasive manoeuvres,” he stressed. The three vessels – which were crewed by 11 men, seven of Spanish nationality and four of Moroccan nationality – had more than a hundred fuel tanks on board, suspected of being linked to drug trafficking activities.

The vessels were pursued by a Navy ship and two high-speed vessels, one manned by elements of the Maritime Police Tactical Actions Group (GAT) and the other by Marines, AMN added. The suspects, aged between 23 and 68, were subsequently “subjected to the necessary identification procedures and subsequent legal processing formalities”. Since the beginning of 2023, Portuguese authorities have arrested 107 people and seized 41 high-speed vessels, with more than 33 tons of drugs on board.

GNR arrests man for drug trafficking in Silves

A 30-year-old man was arrested last Friday, the 30th, for drug trafficking in Silves, the GNR revealed on Monday.

According to the security forces , the detainee was brought before the Silves Court, having been forced to appear at a police station in his area of ​​residence (Lisbon), prohibited from remaining in Silves and from leaving the area of ​​residence.

The military reported that, following a report of a theft in a commercial establishment, they went to the location, where the suspect was approached, next to his vehicle, and a strong odour of a narcotic product was detected. The GNR seized several objects, including 25 doses of hashish, 18 doses of cannabis, 47.35 grams of MDMA, 40.80 grams of hallucinogenic mushrooms and 4.20 grams of amphetamines.

Albufeira raises awareness in the community about preventing fires and unprotected wells

During the summer , in the months of July and August, the municipality of Albufeira promoted an awareness campaign on how to prevent rural fires and the danger posed by unprotected wells.

The action, which was carried out by the Municipal Civil Protection Service of Albufeira, took place in the monthly/fortnightly markets and in the municipal markets of the municipality with vendors and users of the aforementioned commercial spaces who were very interested and satisfied with the initiative.

“We are building a Resilient City, but to do so we need to count on everyone”, stresses the Mayor of Albufeira, José Carlos Rolo. Regarding rural fires, preventive measures to be taken in cases where homes are located in rural areas were addressed, namely with regard to the necessary and mandatory interventions by law in homes, cleaning of surrounding areas, correct storage of firewood and the care to be taken when burning surpluses. The danger of rural fires and the restrictions on the use of forestry machinery, when the index is above the “High” level, was another of the highlighted topics.

All people approached received a leaflet with detailed information, which advises them to notify the authorities whenever the following situations occur: accumulation of rubbish or dense undergrowth near homes and the presence of people with risky behaviour; if you see the start of a rural fire – call 112 immediately.

With regard to unprotected wells, reference was made to the mandatory existence of a guard or effective cover over all wells, cracks and other irregularities likely to cause disastrous falls to people and animals. It should be remembered that according to the Law (Decree-Law No. 226-A/2007, of May 31), all owners of natural water resources such as wells, wells, boreholes, mines, ponds, dams, reservoirs or septic tanks must request the appropriate authorizations for use from the competent authorities. It should be noted that the Awareness Campaign for the Prevention of Rural Fires and Unprotected Wells aimed to create an effective culture with regard to mechanisms that allow prevention associated with risks.

For more information on water saving, Well maintenance and crime prevention go to our website.

Until the next time Stay Safe.

 

 

The Algarve Report Wednesday 28 August 2024

 

By Mike Evans

 

A very good day to you all, whether seeing this for the first time or a regular viewer. The aim of this report is to highlight some of the stories you may have missed during the past week or so and to give valuable information regarding safety and security when incidents occur. The big talking point across the whole country these past few days is the earthquake tremor that occurred around 60 kilometres off the coast near Sines and was 5.3 on the Richter scale with up to 6 further aftershocks being reported. Luckily whilst many may have felt the tremor there was no damage reported but the size of this tremor has illustrated the fact that Portugal is prone to these seismic shocks and people should be aware of what to do if in fact a similar or larger shock happened on the mainland.

We at Safe Communities Portugal have published a lot of information regarding what to do in such a case both on our Facebook pages and on our website and I would encourage you all to check out what we have published.

Now a look at some of the other stories that have hit the headlines in the past week.

 

Faro City Council inaugurates video surveillance system in the city

Faro City Council inaugurated this Tuesday, the 27th, a video surveillance system to prevent crimes and repress traffic violations on the main roads and in several points in the city centre, the municipality announced.

The inauguration ceremony for the video surveillance system will take place at 11:00 am, at the facilities of the Faro Public Security Police District Command, which will be responsible for operating the 32 cameras that the municipality has installed in the areas with the highest levels of people and traffic in the city.

The ceremony will be attended by the Mayor of Faro, Rogério Bacalhau, and the Secretary of State for Internal Administration, Telmo Correia, the Algarve municipality highlighted in a statement. On April 5, 2023, Faro City Council announced that it had been awarded the contract for the installation of 32 cameras, of four different types, under an investment of more than 550,000 euros.

Among the works planned in the project were the expansion of the fibre optic network and the preparation of support infrastructures for the installation of the system in “key locations”, namely in the commercial area, on the main road axes and in the city centre, the municipality specified at the time.

With the inauguration of this video surveillance system, the municipality and the PSP will be able to monitor public and private property, “prevent crimes in places where there is a reasonable risk of them occurring” and, simultaneously, prevent and repress road traffic violations, he highlighted.

The system is capable of capturing and recording audio “whenever there is a situation of concrete danger to the safety of people and property” and the cameras will be operated by the Public Security Police (PSP), working continuously 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the Algarve local authority explained.

 

Woman seriously injured after falling from cliff in Portimão

A 49-year-old French woman was seriously injured on Sunday, the 25th, after falling from a cliff approximately 15 metres high, in Portimão, said a source from the Maritime Authority.

According to the Captain of the Port of Portimão, Eduardo Pousadas Godinho, the fall occurred near the submarine beach, in the João de Arens area, in the municipality of Portimão, “in a difficult to access location, making it necessary to rescue the woman from the sea”.

“The woman, who appeared to have several fractures, was stabilised by a wide-angle team from the Portimão fire department and removed by sea, being transferred to the Portimão marina and transported by helicopter to a hospital unit” in the Algarve, he said. According to Eduardo Pousadas Godinho, “at the site of the fall and in the access areas there are signs warning of the instability of the cliffs, and the causes that led to the fall of the French citizen are unknown”.

“It is an area with a large influx of tourists, mainly foreign citizens, but it is properly marked, with warnings about the instability of the cliffs, but people continue to ignore these warnings”, he highlighted.

According to the Captain of the Port of Portimão, the maritime authorities “have been insisting a lot” with the consular attachés of the various countries “to warn their citizens who are tourists in the Algarve of the dangers that exist in various areas of the coast”.

“We have been concerned about raising awareness of the risks in areas such as João de Arens (Portimão), Benagil and Sete Vales ( Lagoa ), but tourists venture out on isolated walks and accidents end up happening,” he said.

The rescue operations involved 18 operatives from the Portimão fire department, the Maritime Police, the Institute for Aid to Shipwrecked People and the National Institute for Medical Emergencies, assisted by five vehicles and a total of three vessels.

Collision between car and bicycle leaves one dead in Aljezur

A woman died on Sunday, the 25th, as a result of a collision between a light vehicle and a bicycle that occurred on the National Road (EN) 120, in the Azenha area, in the municipality of Aljezur, revealed a source from Civil Protection .

According to a source from the Algarve Regional Emergency and Civil Protection Command, the accident occurred late in the morning and forced the interruption of road traffic on that road that connects the Algarve to Alentejo, which has since been reopened to traffic.

The source indicated that the death of the 42-year-old woman, of Portuguese nationality, was declared by the doctor of the helicopter from the National Institute of Medical Emergency ( INEM ), called to the scene of the accident. According to the source, the causes of the collision between the two vehicles “are unknown and are being investigated”by the Traffic Accident Criminal Investigation Unit (NICAV) of the National Republican Guard (GNR). The assistance and rescue operations involved around 15 members of the Aljezur Volunteer Firefighters, INEM and GNR.

Suspect arrested for forgery, aggravated fraud and money laundering

A man suspected of several crimes of aggravated document forgery, qualified fraud and money laundering was arrested on Wednesday in Lisbon by the Southern Directorate of the Judicial Police and will be held in preventive custody, it was announced on Thursday.

In a statement, the Judicial Police (PJ) indicated that the detainee, aged 27, is suspected of being part of a group “whose transnational criminal activity” consisted of setting up companies using several false identities, “in whose name he opened dozens of accounts in credit institutions” in Portugal. “Once opened, the accounts were credited with transfers of large amounts, obtained illegally, namely using schemes commonly known as ‘man in the middle’ or ‘CEO fraud’,” the police specified.

The ‘man-in-the-middle’ system is a form of cyberattack in which data exchanged between two parties is intercepted, recorded and altered without the victims being aware.

‘CEO fraud’ is a form of fraud through the sending of emails, text messages or applications, in which the attacker, by pretending to be an entity related to the targeted organisation, makes requests for money transfers to employees of that organisation, to their bank accounts.

According to the PJ, the detainee “after disguising the illicit origin of the funds received”, transferred the sums to other accounts, “giving them an appearance of legality under the guise of the alleged activity of the companies then created, receiving a percentage of the transactions carried out”.

During the investigation launched by the Southern Directorate of the PJ, “significant evidence was seized”, highlights the criminal police. According to the PJ, the arrest occurred following an investigation led by the Criminal Investigation Department ( DIAP ) of Faro , which also resulted in the arrest of another man in December 2023. The man now detained in the Lisbon region was heard in his first judicial interrogation, and was ordered to be held in preventive detention, the most serious coercive measure, added the PJ.

10 people rescued in one hour in Cacela Velha

Ten people were rescued by maritime rescue services in Cacela Velha, Vila Real de Santo António in just one hour on Wednesday afternoon (August 23). The rescues took place between 3pm and 4pm during high tide when the group was spotted in distress after being swept away by strong currents near the Cacela Velha inlet.

Members of the ‘SeaWatch’ project and the Tavira and Vila Real de Santo António lifeboat stations were deployed to rescue the victims as they struggled to cross the Ria Formosa in an unsupervised area. Six of the victims were swiftly rescued by lifeguard crews from the Tavira and Vila Real de Santo António stations, while the remaining four were rescued by ‘SeaWatch’ members. All 10 people were safely transported back to land, injury-free and without needing medical assistance.

In a statement to the press, the National Maritime Authority (AMN) stresses that the Cacela Velha inlet is a “dangerous area not recommended for swimming due to the risks posed by strong currents, despite the high number of visitors to the area.” To ensure that rescue services are swift, the AMN has deployed two rescue boats from the Tavira and Vila Real de Santo António stations, an Amarok vehicle from the ‘SeaWatch’ project, a jet ski, a quad bike, and a patrol boat from the maritime police command in Tavira.

To end this report we hear of good news regarding the water shortages across the Algarve. The Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) has issued the  Environmental Impact Statement  (DIA) for the project “Reinforcement of Water Supply to the Algarve – Solution for the Water Intake in Pomarão”, with a favourable decision subject to compliance with a set of conditions, it was announced this Monday, August 26.

The environmental impact assessment procedure in question was carried out “in accordance with the legally required procedures, including the promotion of a 30-working-day public consultation period”, details the APA in a statement.

The aforementioned decision was supported by the technical opinion issued by the Evaluation Committee set up for this purpose, coordinated by the APA and including representatives from the APA itself and the following entities: Algarve Regional Coordination and Development Commission, Alentejo Regional Coordination and Development Commission, Cultural Heritage Commission, Algarve Regional Health Administration, Alentejo Regional Health Administration, Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests, National Energy and Geology Laboratory and the Prof. Baeta Neves Applied Ecology Centre of the Higher Institute of Agronomy.

The project is part of the ongoing partnership between Portugal and Spain, which will ensure a model for exploiting water intakes that ensures an effective ecological flow regime and the balance of the system.

It is also part of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) 2021-2026 (Component C9. Water Management; investment RE-C09-i01 – Algarve Regional Water Efficiency Plan; sub-measure SM5 – Increase the available capacity and resilience of existing reservoirs/high-water supply systems and reinforce with new water sources).

Given that the environmental impact assessment procedure took place in the preliminary study phase, according to the APA, a second assessment will take place in the execution project phase, with a view to verifying the environmental compliance of the execution project with the DIA now issued.

The APA emphasises that the licensing and implementation of the project may only occur after the issuance of the environmental compliance decision for the execution project (DCAPE).

Until the next time stay safe.

 

 

 

 

 

The Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 21 August 2024

 

By Mike Evans

 

A very warm welcome to you after my absence of a couple of weeks. During this time of being away the temperatures across the Algarve have risen considerably and with the hot weather the subject of water or the lack of it rears its head again. According to the latest figures and report issued by the IMPA almost 40% of mainland Portugal was in moderate and severe meteorological drought at the end of July, according to the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere ( IPMA ) in its climatological bulletin for last month.

According to the document released, there was an increase in the area of ​​moderate and severe meteorological drought in the southern region, affecting the districts of Faro , Beja, Évora, Setúbal and Portalegre.

According to the IPMA, the month of July in mainland Portugal was classified as hot in relation to air temperature and normal in relation to precipitation. It was the ninth warmest July since 2000, with the average air temperature, 23.15 degrees Celsius (°C), being 0.65 °C higher than the value recorded between 1981 and 2010.

Te minimum temperature recorded the eighth highest value since 2000, at 16.12°C, an anomaly of +0.28°C above the normal value. The maximum temperature, with an average value of 30.17°C, also represents an anomaly of +1.02°C above the normal value.

In terms of precipitation, it was the eighth rainiest July since 2000. The IPMA recalls that the beginning of the month had minimum temperatures well below normal, especially on the 7th and 8th, and that the hottest day of the year was recorded on the 23rd.

However, there is some good news for those whose livelihood depends on agriculture. A partnership is underway for the Use of Small Hydro-Agricultural Structures in the Sotavento and Northeast Algarve after the publication of an Executive Order No. 184/2024/1, of August 13, signed by the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, José Manuel Fernandes, has now been published, reclassifying the works of the Hydro-Agricultural Projects in four areas of the municipalities of Alcoutim and Castro Marim, announced the Algarve Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR).

The hydro-agricultural development works will take place in Pão Duro (23.5 ha) and Vaqueiros (35 ha), in the parish of Vaqueiros, municipality of Alcoutim, and in Almada de Ouro (31.6 ha), in the parishes of Azinhal and Odeleite, and Caroucha (50 ha), in the municipality of Castro Marim, each encompassing an embankment dam and irrigation networks that supply water to the respective collective irrigation perimeters.

“The need to adapt the management model to the complexity and importance of these four hydro-agricultural developments, built in the 1980s and 1990s, is reflected, above all, at a local level, with the high collective impact of the added value associated with the availability of water for irrigation and the potential use of reservoirs, preparing the region for a future with more frequent and severe droughts”, highlights the CCDR in a statement. “In addition to this justification, there is the technical complexity inherent in the conservation, operation and management of dams and other infrastructures and the possibility of accessing the concession regime, only provided for works in groups I, II and III”, the note continues.

This marks “another stage in this strategy of reconciling human and social development in areas of the Algarve’s interior and greater efficiency in water use, ensuring the availability of water for agriculture”, he concludes.

For the rest of us we will have to continue to save water and hope that the taps don’t run dry before the end of the summer and before the usual winter rains appear.

Now a look at some of the other stories from across the region.

AMN rescues three children in difficulty at Cacela Velha bar

On Sunday, August 18, members of the “SeaWatch” Project rescued three children, aged five, six and 10, who were in difficulty in the water, in an unsupervised area, after being swept away by the current, at the Cacela Velha bar, in Vila Real de Santo António , indicated the National Maritime Authority (AMN).

During a surveillance operation in that area, members of the “SeaWatch” Project detected three children in need of assistance, in difficulty in the water, after having been swept away by the strong current. The victims were quickly rescued and taken to land.

According to AMN, the children were physically well and did not need medical assistance.The National Maritime Authority reinforced its advice against bathing in the Cacela Velha bar area due to the dangers it poses.

AMN assists four crew members of a vessel without propulsion in Olhão

On Thursday, August 15, crew members from the Olhão Lifeboat Station assisted four crew members (three men and one woman) from a recreational vessel that ran out of propulsion one nautical mile (about two kilometres) from Barra do Lavajo, also known as Barra da Armona, in the municipality of Olhão , indicated the National Maritime Authority (AMN).

Following an alert received at 2:54 p.m., through the master of the vessel recreation, the crew of the Olhão Lifeguard Station and elements of the local Command of the Olhão Maritime Police were immediately activated.

Upon arrival at the vessel, the AMN found that the four crew members were physically well, without needing medical assistance, and the crew of the Lifeguard Station proceeded to tow the vessel, for reasons of safety for the people and navigation, to the Olhão Naval Group pier.

 

Motorcyclist seriously injured in collision with light vehicle

A collision between a motorcycle and a light vehicle, in Pardieiro, Monchique, left one person seriously injured on Tuesday, the 13th, who was transferred by helicopter to the hospital in Faro , revealed a source from Civil Protection. “It was a collision between a light vehicle and a motorcycle, which resulted in a seriously injured woman, aged 20, of Portuguese nationality, the driver of the motorcycle,” said a source from the Algarve Regional Emergency and Civil Protection Command.

The woman was transported by ambulance from the secondary road where the accident occurred, at around 4:40 pm, to the Monchique heliport, from where she was transported to the Faro hospital in the National Institute of Medical Emergency ( INEM ) helicopter.

Region reduces water consumption in tourist developments by 14%

Until July, tourist developments in the Algarve that signed up to the “Save Water” seal recorded a 14% reduction in overall consumption and an 18% reduction in specific water consumption (consumption per overnight stay), RTA reported.

The figures are included in the 2nd report on monitoring water consumption and the application of water efficiency measures prepared by the Energy Agency (ADENE), as part of the Algarve’s Commitment to Water Efficiency .

Among the more than 2,300 water efficiency measures selected by those participating in the plan coordinated by the Algarve Tourism Board (RTA), in conjunction with Turismo de Portugal and ADENE, interventions at the level of devices and irrigation systems, improvements in the management and maintenance system and in equipment are the most selected by tourism enterprises located in the Algarve region. More than half (53%) of these selected measures have already been implemented. Around 75% of those who sign up to the “Save Water” seal are concentrated in four Algarve municipalities – Albufeira, Loulé, Portimão and Lagoa –, which are also those with the largest number of beds available.

For André Gomes, president of RTA, “these results reflect the efforts of the tourism sector to combat water scarcity in the Algarve. Business owners are very mobilised to face this challenge. The Save Water seal was implemented in March and by July it already represented more than 30% of the beds available in tourist establishments in the region, which reflects the sector’s commitment to adopting measures and behaviours that allow saving this essential resource”, he highlights.

Dinosaur footprints discovered on Algarve beach

A site with 12 footprints from different dinosaurs is being revealed on Arrifes beach, in Albufeira, among other discoveries, elevating this location within the territory of the Algarvensis Geopark project to a global geosite, a researcher has revealed.

In addition to the set of 12 footprints, belonging to five dinosaurs from three different species, which roamed the area around 120 million years ago, Arrifes beach hides other treasures, invisible to the eyes of tourists who go swimming in the small cove whose sand almost disappears at high tide.

The scientific advisor of the Algarvensis Geopark project, Octávio Mateus, said that those rocks are recorded as being “a few million years old”, with marks of crustaceans, shells, whelks and single-celled beings, although the most impressive are the marks left by dinosaurs, in the lower Cretaceous period. Only accessible at low tide and to those willing to climb over rocks, the site with 12 footprints, some of which are in sequence and three-dimensional, reveals the presence of large sauropods, including brontosaurus, the long-necked dinosaurs popularised by cinema. But, this enormous dinosaur, whose footprints reach half a metre in length, is joined on this trail by small sauropods, also herbivores, and three carnivorous animals, all in a crack between two layers in the cliff, made when those rocks were still in a horizontal position.

120 million years ago, the footprints were imprinted in the mud, which was covered with limestone and sand, and after the sediment below had eroded, the natural shape of the footprint was left. The cliffs ‘rotated’ to their current position due to tectonic movement, explained the palaeontologist, a professor at the Universidade Nova de Lisboa.

“There are tectonic forces related to rock salt deposits, or by plates, crustal movements, causing it to fold and roll, and what was horizontal became vertical”, he explained, highlighting that this is a “major discovery”, which makes that beach a “geosite of global importance”.

At the beginning of the trail, a rock shows the seabed from a good few million years ago, bearing witness to the trail of crustaceans, similar to crabs and lobsters, which made galleries and excavated the sand which, over time, was filled with more sand. Further ahead, heading east, on the face of another cliff also threatened by the action of the sea, four footprints are revealed forming a trail, all measuring more than 20 centimetres, of an ornithopod dinosaur that would have been four metres long.

The first deposit had been documented since 2016, but had not been studied, work that is now being done as part of the application of the territory of Loulé, Albufeira and Silves to become a global geopark of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO ).

However, discovering the “paternity” of the findings is not simple. “The current scientific coordinator of the Algarvensis Geopark, Paulo Fernandes said that it had been discovered during one of his field classes by a student, but the date is unknown. It must have been between 2014 and 2016. The sauropod footprints in the crevice were mentioned for the first time in a conference summary in 2016, but it doesn’t mention who discovered them,” said Octávio Mateus. However, as far as he knows, the ornithopod tracks are “absolutely new” and were discovered by him on June 12 this year.

Two men rob a nightclub in Loulé and flee on a motorbike

Two men robbed a nightclub in the parish of Boliqueime , in the municipality of Loulé, on Sunday the 11th, and fled the scene on a motorbike with money taken from a safe, a source from the GNR revealed .

“At around 9:00 am, two individuals, using physical force, managed to get the money that was in a safe to be handed over to them,” said a source from the Public Relations Department of the GNR’s Faro Territorial Command. The two men entered the nightclub, which was already closed, in a manner that the GNR is still investigating and, once inside the establishment, “they used force to get the money to be handed over to them”, he explained. The source was unable to specify the number of employees present at the establishment, but indicated that they did not require hospital assistance.

The robbers “fled on a motorbike”, with an amount of money yet to be determined, said the GNR source, confirming the existence of surveillance cameras at the site and that the case is already being investigated.

Three people died in the first three months of the bathing season

Three people died on Portuguese beaches in the first three months of this year’s bathing season, between May and July, with all cases occurring in the Algarve, and 403 rescues were recorded, the National Maritime Authority ( AMN ) recently revealed.

Since the last report up to June 30, which indicated two fatalities on Portuguese beaches, the AMN recorded another death on the supervised sea beach Maria Luísa, in Albufeira , which occurred on July 16 for “unknown causes”.

The other two deaths recorded since the start of the bathing season, on May 1, were also in the Algarve and both were due to “sudden illness”, with the first situation occurring on May 27 in an unsupervised maritime area in Algar de Benagil, in Lagoa, and the second on June 6 at the supervised maritime beach of Meia Praia, in Lagos, informed the Maritime Authority. In 2023, in the first three months of the bathing season, there were seven deaths on the beaches, four of which were due to drowning and three due to “sudden illness”.

In the three months that have passed since this year’s bathing season, between May 1 and July 31, in addition to three fatalities, the AMN recorded 403 rescues and 1,907 first aid actions on the sea and river or lake beaches under its jurisdiction.

According to the balance of the first two months of the bathing season, in which 133 rescues and 584 first aid actions were recorded, according to data from the Maritime Authority, in July 270 rescues and 1,323 first aid actions were carried out on Portuguese beaches.

The 2024 bathing season runs from May 1 to October 30, and municipalities may establish, within this period, the specific season for each area.

If you are going to the beach please be aware of all the dangers that could be around you and have a safe week.

 

Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 31st July 2024

by Mike Evans

A very good day to you all. The next few weeks across the Algarve are full of festivals of all kinds which brings more visitors to the region. This week we have the start of the Sardine festival in Portimao and the Chicken festival in Guia as well as many more in the many villages and towns across the region. Travelling to and from these different places is becoming a difficult exercise for many as the main road through the region, the N125, is full to capacity during much of the day. We have seen a number of accidents in the past week which have resulted in the death of at least three people as well as other serious injuries. Having driven along this road quite extensively this week you can see that the idea of “patience” doesn’t seem to be part of many drivers’ thinking! Let’s hope that the next few weeks are not littered with more accidents and tragic loss of life. Remember, a few extra minutes getting to your destination can save your life as well as other road users.

Now a look at some of the other stories from around the region from the past week.

Collision on EN 125 leaves two dead and one seriously injured

Two people died this Sunday, the 28th, in a collision between two cars, on the National Road (EN) 125, in Almancil, in the municipality of Loulé , revealed a source from Civil Protection.

According to a source from the Algarve Regional Emergency and Civil Protection Command, the accident, which occurred at around 6:22 am, also left one person seriously injured, who was taken to Faro hospital.

The accident, which occurred on the Troto Variant, caused the road to be closed in both directions. At 10:15 a.m., a team of 16 operators, supported by nine vehicles, were still on site.

This accident brings to three the number of deaths in road accidents that occurred over the weekend on the EN 125, in the Almancil area. On Saturday morning, a collision between a bus and a car had already caused the death of the driver of the light vehicle.

One dead in collision between bus and car in Almancil

A man died this Saturday, the 27th, in a collision between a bus and the car he was driving, on the National Road (EN) 125, in Almancil, in the municipality of Loulé , said a source from Civil Protection .

According to a source from the Algarve Regional Emergency and Civil Protection Command, the accident, which occurred at around 8:00 am, did not cause any injuries, and traffic was affected, with traffic being alternated.

The accident occurred in the Faro – Loulé direction. According to CM, the fatal victim is the Algarve musician Paul Camilo, 50 years old, guitarist of the band Karapaus Allimads.

Man arrested in Portimão for thefts from several establishments

The Faro PSP District Command , through the Criminal Investigation Squad of the Portimão Police Division, arrested a 35-year-old man, accused of committing several qualified thefts, it was announced today.

Following an investigation carried out over the last few months, it was possible to determine “that the suspect made a living by committing thefts in various commercial establishments, such as supermarkets, pharmacies and perfumeries, later exchanging the stolen items for narcotic products”, details the PSP in a statement.

“In order to put an end to these crimes and restore a sense of security to traders in the city of Portimão, the PSP carried out a swift investigation, which allowed the suspect to be identified, who was located and arrested yesterday,” the note continues. After the first judicial interrogation, he was given the coercive measure of preventive detention.

The PSP believes it has put an end to this criminal phenomenon, which had been causing some “uneasiness” among traders in the city of Portimão.

Three arrested for beach thefts in Portimao

The GNR arrested three men suspected of thefts, between Monday and Wednesday, in Portimão, as part of an investigation aimed at combating thefts in the Algarve’s beach areas, the security force announced.

The detainees are between 27 and 50 years old and were located by members of the Portimão Criminal Investigation Unit, “on the public highway”, and were “in possession of material to commit this type of theft” and “various stolen material, which is why they were detained”, the GNR said in a statement.

After approaching the detainees, a house search was carried out “which allowed the recovery and seizure of several items”, namely a vehicle, a camera, six cell phones, four computers, a drone, 950 euros, 15 Canadian dollars and 56 US dollars, two watches and several electronic components, he listed. “The action was reinforced by military personnel from the Lagoa Territorial Post and the Beja Traffic Detachment (DT), with two other individuals also being named as defendants,” he concluded.

Jail for ringleaders of gang that terrorised immigrants in OIhão

The two main ringleaders of a gang of young teens that terrorised Indian and Nepalese immigrants in the Algarve town of Olhão last year have both been sentenced to seven years in prison (one year of which will be commuted due to the recent papal amnesty).

Both youths, now aged 17, have been held in preventive custody since their arrests last year. A third teen, also arrested last year and equally charged with aggravated assault, violent damage and theft, was handed a five year sentence, suspended – while a fourth youngster was found not guilty of all counts against him.

Defence lawyer André Caetano has commented that the sentences for the ringleaders, in his opinion, are still “very heavy”. “We are going to appeal”, he told Correio da Manhã.

For the time being, the 17-year-olds will continue to remain in preventive custody, serving their time in Leiria’s prison establishment for young people.

The panel of judges considered the behaviour of all the youngsters involved to have been “repugnant and very serious”.This was an incident that became nationally notorious, as images of the attacks were widely shared online.

President Marcelo travelled down to Olhão to personally apologise to one of the immigrants at the time.

 

Navy seizes fishing gear in Algarve marine park

The Portuguese Navy announced on Tuesday that it found and removed 59 cage traps from the Algarve Marine Natural Park – Pedra do Valado, where the use of this kind of fishing gear is prohibited. The Navy said in a statement that the fishing gear was detected on Monday during a maritime patrol and surveillance operation in the recently created marine reserve off the coast of Albufeira, Lagoa, and Silves.

As fishing is prohibited  in the marine reserve, the Navy collected the cage traps at the behest of Portimão’s port captain. In its statement, the Navy stressed that using this type of fishing gear can be detrimental to the “development of corals on the rocky bottom, as it significantly affects the conservation of biodiversity” in an area which is meant to be protected. The Algarve Marine Natural Park – Pedra do Valado was created in January this year to protect biodiversity and promote the sustainable management of resources.

The reserve is one of the richest areas in terms of biodiversity in Portugal and is also the largest coastal reef in the Algarve and one of the largest in Portugal, with natural values considered unrivalled along the national coast.

The Natural Park comprises the area between the Alfanzina Lighthouse, in the municipality of Lagoa, and the Albufeira marina, totalling an area of approximately 156 square kilometres.

At Pedra do Valado, 889 of the 1,294 species of fauna and flora found on the Algarve coast were identified, 24 of which have protected status, with the discovery of 45 new species for Portugal and 12 new species for science that are not known elsewhere, according to the website of the Algarve Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR).

All human activities, including fishing and recreational boating, are prohibited on the site.

Albufeira tourism behaviour campaign starts 

An awareness campaign on rules and behaviours starts today, 29th July in Albufeira, the local authority announced. In a note, the Municipality stresses that it is working on several fronts with a view to “disciplining” behaviours in public spaces, so that “the good image of Albufeira is restored, both to the satisfaction of residents and tourists”, explains José Carlos Rolo.

The mayor points out the problem of certain groups, “but it cannot be generalised, as the behaviour of some cannot be taken as a reflection of the identity of any country”.

Seven actions are underway, such as a behavioural awareness campaign, using billboards, posters, a brochure and other materials; a campaign to promote the destination is also being carried out in partnership with the company IPDT- Turismo; 70 video surveillance cameras are being installed; human surveillance has already been increased in the areas of Oura and the “downtown” part of the city, with the help of the Firefighters Association, the Portuguese Red Cross, the GNR, the Municipal Civil Protection Service and the Municipal Police, as well as other law enforcement agencies. In addition, a new code of behaviour is being drawn up, which should be completed by the end of this summer; the draft amendment to the Municipal Noise Regulation is being reviewed; and finally, the proposal to revise the Municipal Regulations for the Operation of Establishments will be presented at the Council Meeting tomorrow. As regards the behavioural awareness campaign, the distribution of flyers, stickers and a brochure has already begun. According to the local authority, Albufeira now has more security, surveillance and inspection agents on the streets, “for a faster and more effective response to any problem that arises”, day or night.

“The less than positive image of Albufeira must change very soon and I will not allow any lack of respect for our work, neither for the leisure of our tourists, nor for the work of all those who live in Albufeira, regardless of their origin or social status”, says the mayor.

José Carlos Rolo also requested the help of the British Consulate to implement campaigns and actions in Albufeira, as are done in other countries, with a view to “ensuring greater security, comfort and satisfaction for all tourists, who are also disturbed by the widespread perception of a less than positive image of their identity, when Albufeira’s relations with the entire United Kingdom have always been, and throughout many years of history, one of great cordiality and mutual admiration”.

In addition to all this, tendering procedures are also underway for more and better lighting in certain public places, especially in the coastal area, an increase in the number of litter bins on the streets and more cleaning professionals, and noise monitoring has already begun on some streets.

Until the next time stay safe