A tornado swept across Faro and Olhão council areas on Sunday afternoon, leaving a trail of destroyed trees, cars and walls.A gypsy community of around 100 people, living in an area known as Cerro do Bruxo at one of the entrances to Faro, had their makeshift housing torn apart and destroyed by the wind which raged for an hour from 4pm.
The commander of the Faro firefighters said there had been 50 significant incidents, with 60 operational units from various relief forces, and council teams, being involved.
The tornado hit land at Praia de Faro, the same place where a smaller tornado hit on Wednesday, and made its way across land towards Forum Algarve and then across to the neighbouring municipality of Olhão.
Pechão and Moncarapacho parishes were in the tornado’s path and strong winds destroyed a wall at the Estádio António João Eusébio, during the Moncarapacho vs Moura football game was in progress, damaging several vehicles but injuring no one.
The Civil Protection Agency said today’s tornado was 'low intensity,' little comfort to those now without electricity and counting the cost. Latr, the IPMA weather service said the tornado appears to have been F1 on the Fujita scale with winds speeds beteween 117 and 180kmph.
The Forum Algarve shopping centre was hit with the howling wind hitting the open air restaurant zone and the exposed central area,
EDP is trying to restore power to various zones, a task hampered by dislodged high and medium voltage posts and trees damaging power lines.
