The Minister of Environment and Energy said, this Wednesday, that work is being done to avoid catastrophes like the one that occurred in Valencia in Portugal, but warned that “no one is prepared for a major catastrophe.”
Maria da Graça Carvalho visited the headquarters of the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) and learned about the functioning of the Flood Control Center, which monitors the situation on the ground through measuring stations, which on average are the target of two cases of vandalism per week, according to APA manager Bina Quadrado, who presented the system.
The Water Resources Surveillance and Alert System (SVARH) allows you to know, for example, the flow of rivers and it is through constant monitoring that situation reports are made and alerts are made to the population.
At the end of the visit, the minister admitted that no one is prepared for major catastrophes, but argued that it is possible to “reduce the impact, predict, and warn in time”.
“That’s what we do here”, said the minister, highlighting the importance of monitoring stations that are spread across the country, asking that they not be vandalized. The system has an annual cost of 1.2 million euros.
The minister gave the example of the most recent floods in the Algarve, in which the APA reported on the places that should be most problematic and she herself called the mayors of councils such as those in Olhão, Tavira or Albufeira, concluding that “the warning was given in time.”
“This is what we can do. Predict, gather the data and immediately give an alert and that’s what we do to the best of our ability”said Maria da Graça Carvalho, highlighting the speed with which information is passed on, including via the social network Whatsapp.
The president of APA, José Pimenta Machado, also highlighted the “great coordination and exchange of information in real time between APA, the Portuguese Institute of Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) and the Civil and Maritime Protection authorities, in addition to the exchange of information with Spain”.
Regarding what Portugal learned from Valencia, where floods caused at least 222 deaths about a month ago, Maria da Graça Carvalho said that what actually happened is still being determined, but said that regionalization “has somewhat damaged relations” in passage of information, which does not happen in Portugal.
Then there was a delay in alerting the population, said the minister, stressing that the alerts must be immediate and remembering that in Portugal the population receives many alerts, of events that sometimes do not materialize, but that it is preferable that way.
Maria da Graça Carvalho also mentioned another situation in Valencia, which is related to urban planning carried out many years ago, in a very urbanized area, with “walled rivers”. In Portugal, said the minister, “there is a lot of this”, adding that these situations are being studied.
The minister gave the example of the Este River, a tributary of the Ave River, near Braga, which is being expanded so that floods do not reach homes. And when the APA says that you can’t build in a certain location, “it’s not because the APA is an annoying institution”, he warned.
The minister also said that the working group set up in the summer on water management will present the technical work on December 3, which will then result in a prior political decision, with the prime minister expected to announce the conclusions at the end of the year or at the beginning of the next one. .
In relation to APA, which recently hired 149 employees, increasing the number of employees to 941, Maria da Graça Carvalho asked for faster work and better explanations when the agency refuses a project. .
Portugal needs “a lot of investments” and the promoters of these investments should hear from the APA, in addition to “no”, whether an alternative is possible, said the minister. And the APA, he also said, must be “greatly open” to the community and, like all public administrations, be available to answer the phone, respond to “emails” and schedule meetings. .
APA recently presented a map of the 63 most problematic areas in the country in terms of flooding. Floods were the natural phenomenon that has caused the most deaths to date, 800 people, said the president of the institution.
During this Wednesday’s visit, the minister was also informed about the Radnet project, for planning and responding to radiological emergencies, and the Cosmo project, for monitoring the coast, where 180 kilometers are subject to strong erosion.
Source: rr.sapo.pt
