Unusually high tides combined with powerful waves damaged the main wooden walkway and several access paths on Faro Beach (Praia de Faro) early this Tuesday morning, local authorities confirmed.
“The sea reached places where it normally doesn’t,” said Vítor Dias, captain of Faro Port. He explained that the rough sea conditions are linked to a hurricane passing through the North Atlantic, with the strongest impact expected on Portugal’s west coast.
Authorities warn that similar conditions could return over the coming hours, especially during high tide. “People should be very careful, particularly at high tide,” Dias said, urging visitors to stay alert as sea levels rise and waves become more intense.
Faro’s municipal council has started cleaning the beach and collecting scattered wood and plans to remove the damaged structures and later replace the main walkway, a council source told Lusa. Several concessionaires (licensed beach businesses) were also affected, with some of their access walkways damaged.
Despite the destruction, bathing areas at the concessionaires remain open, though there may be temporary or partial disruptions. The municipality also warned that high waves and rising sea levels could once again reach areas normally untouched by the sea.
