Albufeira Council has launched a campaign to warn people that if the lie on the beach under the shade of a cliff, the chances of a rock falling on them will rise by 100%.
The ‘Cliffs are not Option!’ campaign will be promoted along the municipality’s beaches until the end of August, advising people that the cliffs are inherently dangerous and should be avoided.
Civil Protection Service personnel will be visiting Albufeira’s beaches to distribute leaflets to bathers. in Portuguese and English, warning them not to lie under the shade of cliffs.
Albufeira’s mayor, José Carlos Rolo, commented that, "Albufeira is the top choice for national and foreign tourists due to the beauty and the environmental quality of its coastal zone. It is, however, equally important to create safe conditions so that swimmers can enjoy our beaches in full. One of the measures is to make the tourists aware of the possible dangers associated with the cliffs."
The initiative has the full support of the Maritime Authority, the Maritime Police and the Sailing and Swimming Association of Albufeira all of which are well aware of the disastrous and fatal beach accident when, in August 2009, five people died when part of a cliff sheared off and crushed them.
Maria Luisa beach was packed with sunbathers, many of whom had ignored safety warnings and decided the shade of the cliff was preferable to the summer sun. The result was injury and death.
