On Wednesday, September 18, locals and tourists were caught in seasonal floods caused by the full Moon.
On Wednesday, September 18, seawater once again flooded various riverside areas in the region prone to such occurrences. Flooding occurred in Portimão, Ferragudo (Lagoa), Lagos, and Tavira, but fortunately, no damage was caused.
Authorities regard this event as standard, as it is related to the Moon’s gravitational pull on Earth and the subsequent increase in sea levels.
Residents of the affected riverside areas are also used to flooding at this time of year. Water quickly invades the streets and surrounds parked vehicles, causing inconvenience for those caught off guard.
Science explains that the Moon influences the tides due to its gravitational force on the Earth. The Moon also exerts an attractive force on the Earth and the ocean water. This attractive force is greater on the side of the Earth closest to the Moon, which causes water to move towards the Moon, forming an elevation on the surface of the oceans known as high tide.
The sun also exerts an attractive force on the tides, although with less intensity because it is further from the Earth. Thus, when the Moon, sun and Earth are aligned, so-called high tides occur during the full Moon and new Moon. At these times, the tide drops more than usual and also rises more than normal.
The full Moon on Wednesday the 18th raised the tides above normal levels, flooding the streets of coastal towns.
