With no end in sight yet to Portugal’s abysmal wet weather, the combined forces of the military – Army, Navy and Air Force – are continuing to help populations in need.
EMGFA (Armed Forces General Staff) reports that, as of this morning, there were 2,589 personnel on the ground in various places, 274 vehicles, 21 ‘engineering appliances’, 67 boats, and two refuelling power boats.
Support supplied by the military this far has included roofing, the removal of debris, the clearing of roads, relocation of people and property by boat – and surveillance and reconnaissance of affected areas from the air.
Since January 28, when Storm Kristin hit mainland territory, the military has ‘rescued 252 people, and ceded and installed 290 tarpaulins to cover homes’ that have lost parts (or all) of their roofs
The Armed Forces have also distributed almost 1,000 meals; made 1,860 beds available (for people evacuated or made homeless) in 15 barracks, repaired more than 109 homes and public buildings – and supplied 60 Starlink and 53 satellite emergency communications units.
EMGFA says that “more than 300 tonnes of material, including goods of primary necessity, have been transported by road and air.
Six helicopters, a C-130 transport plane, a fixed-wing Air Force P3C reconnaissance plane and a KC-390 are also ‘still available’ and in a state of ‘high readiness’.
It is not clear for how much longer the military will be on the ground – but certainly until river levels have receded and populations are no longer isolated or in any danger.
Fifteen people have lost their lives over the last two weeks of storms battering the mainland. Hundreds have been injured and hundreds more left homeless.
Schools are only slowly returning to ‘normality’, with a number still closed due to damages and weather conditions.
The regions of the centre, Lisbon and Vale do Tejo and the Alentejo have been most affected. Almost 70 municipalities are still in a ‘situation of calamity’, with thousands of households still without electricity and water.
Financial support via the government’s raft of measures should start reaching people from today. It is actually something the incoming president has said he will be watching very carefully – to see that people are helped, and that the promised support is delivered.
Source material: LUSA
