Civil protection of Madeira warning for strengthening measures against rain

O Madeira's Regional Civil Protection Service (SRPC) today warned the population of the need to strengthen preventive measures in the face of strong rainfall forecasts in the region.

The SPRC, based on the predictions of the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA), which aggravated the warning of heavy precipitation from midnight and until 09:00 on Sunday, indicates that there will be a “crawling of weather conditions, with periods of precipitation sometimes strong, especially during the night of today and Sunday morning, November 1st”.

The warning is orange for the northern coast of Madeira and for the island of Porto Santo.

This service says that “the anticipation of risks and the adoption of responsible behaviors to minimize the impacts of adverse weather conditions” is essential.

According to Regional Civil Protection, it is expected that branches or trees will fall, the road floor will be slippery due to the possible formation of water sheets and the occurrence of flooding in urban areas.

There may also be drainage difficulties in urban systems, which may cause flooding in historically more vulnerable sites, collapse of support walls or slopes.

The SRPC suggests “adoption of appropriate behaviors, so, and particularly in historically more vulnerable areas, and in the most exposed areas”.

Among these are ensuring adequate fixation of loose structures, such as scaffolding, boards and suspended structures, adopting increased care in circulation and permanence in wooded areas, given the possibility of falling branches and trees.

To avoid unnecessary displacements or to affected areas, not to move through areas with degraded buildings, due to the risk of collapse, to adopt defensive driving, reducing speed and paying particular attention to the possible formation of water sheets in the roads and to avoid crossing flooded areas, preventing the dragging of persons or vehicles into holes in the pavement or open sewer boxes are other indications left by SPRC.