The Algarve municipalities of Alcoutim, Monchique, and Faro are among 22 local authorities nationwide that have now joined the 68 municipalities previously placed under a state of calamity by the Government in January, following the impact of Storm Kristin.
The same support measures will apply to them as the ones previously included in the list of municipalities under an official state of calamity, according to an order published today in the Government’s gazette, the Diário da República.
The state of calamity affecting 68 municipalities across mainland Portugal, first declared on 29th January and subsequently extended, came to an end on 15 February, as did the temporary suspension of toll charges in the affected areas.
In the order issued today, the Government recalls that the resolution approved at the end of January authorised the ministers responsible for the Economy and Internal Administration to identify additional municipalities beyond the original 68 covered by the calamity declaration.
As a result, a further 22 councils, “not included within the immediate impact zone of the explosive cyclogenesis but which suffered severe effects from Storm Kristin as a result of flooding scenarios”, have now been added.
These areas, the order states, “will benefit from the same regulatory framework of support and exceptional measures established in response to the state of calamity”. The 22 municipalities are: Alcoutim, Alenquer, Almeirim, Alpiarça, Anadia, Arganil, Arruda dos Vinhos, Azambuja, Baião, Benavente, Cartaxo, Castelo de Paiva, Chamusca, Coruche, Faro, Mafra, Monchique, Mortágua, Oliveira do Hospital, Salvaterra de Magos, Sobral de Monte Agraço and Tábua.
The Government document further notes that throughout January and February mainland Portugal was “successively affected by several intense and anomalous meteorological phenomena, resulting in persistent rainfall with profound implications for the stability of the affected regions”.
“The alignment of storms culminated in Storm Kristin, which reached critical intensity in the early hours of 28 January following the formation of an explosive cyclogenesis system, bringing intense winds and heavy rainfall that developed rapidly and caused significant damage in several municipalities,” the order states.
The “exceptional and severe nature of this meteorological context” also triggered “secondary phenomena such as severe flooding and landslides, compounding the significant damage to homes, critical infrastructure, public facilities, businesses, social institutions, as well as natural and cultural heritage”.
A state of calamity is the most serious of three alert levels under Portuguese law and, according to the legislation, “may be declared when, in the face of a serious accident and/or catastrophe, or the risk thereof, and given its foreseeable intensity, there is a recognised need to adopt exceptional measures aimed at preventing, responding to, or restoring normal living conditions in the affected areas”.
Eighteen people died in Portugal following the passage of storms Kristin, Leonardo and Marta, which also left hundreds injured and displaced.
Among the most significant material consequences of the severe weather were the total or partial destruction of homes, businesses and public facilities; fallen trees and structures; the closure of roads, schools and transport services; power, water and communications outages; and widespread flooding.
The regions of Centro, Lisbon and the Tagus Valley, and Alentejo were the hardest hit.
Source: LUSA
