Today’s parliamentary debate was going to be the moment that opposition parties faced the government with their criticisms of the way the executive has been dealing with the current ‘climate emergency’ effecting vast swathes of the country.
But it is almost certain to be delayed due to the developing situation, particularly the problems in Coimbra – where a dyke protecting the city is in danger of rupture.
Roughly 3,000 people have already been ‘evacuated’ from areas ‘vulnerable to flooding’ as a form of prevention.
The understanding is that it is more important for the prime minister to be in Coimbra (and possibly elsewhere as well) than it is for him to be fielding criticism in Lisbon.
The situation in Coimbra is clearly ‘dire’ – but it is also extremely well accompanied, and has been so for the last few weeks. Mayor Ana Abrunhosa has been tireless in her efforts to keep citizens informed and safe. She explained last night to Expresso that the reason orders were given for mass evacuations last night were to ensure that everyone would be all right. But she added that if the dyke does burst “it will be like a bomb”. It is just that it will hopefully now be a bomb that only causes material damage, and does not kill people.
The mayor has also stressed that Coimbra does not lack support in this battle against the elements. She listed the help of the military, three corporations of firefighters, the PSP, GNR, Municipal Police and the city’s urban transport network.
Meantime, parliamentary speaker José Pedro Aguiar Branco has suggested Friday as a possible date for the delayed debate. By Friday, the worst of the current ‘carousel of bad weather’ is expected to have passed.
