The Algarve Regional Emergency and Civil Protection Command logged 51 incidents between midnight and noon today (11 November). Fallen trees were the most common reported problem as Storm Charles passed over the region. The tally covers 11 municipalities, with roads blocked in Faro, Lagos, Portimão, and Loulé.
According to the midday update, the Faro district recorded 22 fallen trees, 11 floods or build-ups of rainwater, and seven collapsed structures or fallen objects. Crews have also carried out five road-clearing operations, dealt with three landslides, and responded to three cases of damage to the electricity network.
Loulé and Portimão are the hardest hit, with ten incidents each. Aljezur follows with seven, then Lagoa with six, and Silves with five. Faro and Lagos have three apiece, Monchique, São Brás de Alportel, and Vila do Bispo two each, and Olhão one.
In all, 226 personnel and 83 technical resources have been deployed, and every municipality has set up its own command post.
In Faro: Rua de São Luís, Rua Teófilo Braga, and the link between Galvana and Caldeira do Neto are shut completely. Largo de São Francisco and the road to Praia de Faro are partially closed.
In Lagos: Fallen trees have partially closed Avenida das Comunidades Portuguesas since 10.48am.
In Portimão: Rua Mouzinho de Albuquerque is partially closed. The CM1081 between Mexilhoeira Grande and Monchique is shut because of flooding.
In Loulé: Precautionary closures remain in place until 11.59pm on the Estrada do Pontão CP–Boliqueime, Avenida Infante de Sagres (by the Forte Novo car park), Rua do Trafal and the road between Fonte Santa and Vale do Lobo.
At sea, the harbour bars at Baleeira, Lagos, Alvor, Portimão, Albufeira, Vilamoura, Quarteira, Faro-Olhão, Tavira, and the Guadiana are closed to navigation.
Civil Protection urges residents to avoid non-essential journeys and never to cross flooded areas, on foot or by car. It also asks people not to park under trees or beside unstable structures, and to keep an eye on official updates. The next figures are due at 2pm.
The first tally, at 8am, counted just three incidents since midnight, one each in Lagos, Loulé and Faro, with six personnel and three technical resources committed. By 10am the total had reached 13. Civil Protection explained that the midday figure includes five incidents in Loulé and Olhão that happened before 10am but were logged after that update was released.
Source: Civil Protection / LUSA
Photo credit: LUSA / ANDRÉ KOSTERS
