Accesses to the centre of Funchal closed for security reasons

Oaccesses to the centre of Funchal, Madeira, are closed this morning for security reasons following the weather conditions that are affecting the region, the Regional Civil Protection Service said.

“ The population is called on not to move to the affected areas, nor to try to overcome the existing conditions, and should avoid unnecessary displacements and follow the recommendations of the authorities,” the Madeira Regional Civil Protection Service said.

Commander Valter Ferreira told Lusa today that the Madeira Regional Civil Protection Service registered between 20:00 and 06:30 today 137 occurrences related to bad weather, most floods, without causing victims or displaced people, who mobilized 351 operational and 144 means.

“ We had normal and expected occurrences: floods, falls of trees and falls of stones to the public road that were punctually conditioning some roads ", said.

According to the commander some roads still remain with conditioning, but with the beginning of the morning, the device either municipal or parish joints will carry out work to resume normality in the region.

Although the red warning ended at 06:00 and an improvement can be expected, according to Valter Ferreira, floods, tree falls and rocks may still occur, as the island is under orange warning during the morning.

Madeira began to be affected by the storm at 9:00 p.m., leading the (IPMA) to put the whole island under red warning, the highest level due to the heavy rain and wind until 6:00 p.m. today.

The warning then passed to orange, with forecasts of bursts in the order of 130 kilometers in the highest areas until 12:00, keeping the rain “sometimes persistent strong” until 09:00.

Due to adverse weather conditions, the Madeira Regional Government has determined the closure of school establishments and non-essential services by 1 p.m.

Closed are also the pedestrian routes, museums, gardens and farms, three cruise ships were cancelled and the voyages of the ship Lobo Marinho between the Madeira and Porto Santo islands.