A government dispatch dated today, and published in state gazette Diário da República, adds another 22 municipalities to the original 68 included in the ‘situation of calamity’ declared at the end of January, following the devastation of Storm Kristin.
The additional municipalities include three in the Algarve (Faro, Alcoutim and Monchique) and are areas that escaped the ‘worst’ of the ‘explosive cyclogenesis’ that devastated homes, businesses and infrastructures throughout the centre of the country, but which went on to suffer flooding/ landslides and other dramatic consequences of weeks of persistent rain.
The full list is: 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.
What the inclusion of these municipalities means is that they are now included in the “regulatory framework for support and exceptional measures”, even though the government has ‘concluded’ the situation of calamity (against the wishes of many parties in opposition).
How the changes positively affect municipalities is yet to be seen. It is also clear from the list that Almada (suffering terrible consequences from the weather this winter) is not included, even though landslides are still going on in Ponta Barca, and apartment buildings are at risk of further landslides in Costa da Caparica.
Source material: Diário de Notícias
