Several weeks of storms and rough seas have caused serious damage along the Algarve coast, with several beaches now under close watch by the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA).
Areas such as Peneco beach in Albufeira and Quarteira have been left almost unrecognisable, SIC Notícias points out.
On Friday, strong winds hit Quarteira, and drone footage showed how the power of the waves pushed the shoreline further inland.
A wooden boardwalk that had already suffered damage at Forte Novo beach has seen several stretches almost completely destroyed, while the beach has all but ‘disappeared’. A section of side pavement and road near the beach has also collapsed due to the impact of the stormy weather.
In January, a coastal sand replenishment intervention covering the stretch from Quarteira beach to Vale do Garrão was approved, before the latest storms were forecast. However, work on the ground is now only expected to begin in April.
Elsewhere in the Algarve, several areas also require urgent attention. In Albufeira, Peneco beach has seen its iconic rock left “bare”, while the sea has removed so much sand that there is barely space for people to stand. Emergency measures are already underway, and the area may be temporarily restricted as a precaution.
At Faro beach, overtopping waves pushed sand into parking areas and onto the road, while also carving a slope that in some places reaches two metres in height.
More damage is almost certain to have been caused along the region’s beaches, but to fully assess the damage, authorities will need the storms to ease.
For now, officials will have to wait for the ground to dry before determining which cliffs are at risk. According to SIC Notícias, however, controlled rockfalls are almost certain to take place, starting in Portimão, in the coming weeks.
Source: SIC Notícias/Lusa
