Regional Government activates Legal and Financial Support Scheme for Climate Emergencies following weather events in Água de Pau - Communication

Secretaria Regional do Ambiente e Ação Climática

The Regional Secretary for the Environment and Climate Action, Alonso Miguel, visited on Tuesday the parishes of Água de Pau, in Lagoa, and Ribeirinha, in Ribeira Grande, on the island of São Miguel, in the aftermath of last Saturday's storm. The visit was intended to assess the extent of the damage caused and find solutions to help the affected families. 

During his visit to Lagoa, Alonso Miguel was accompanied by the Mayor of Lagoa, Frederico Sousa, and the President of the Parish Council of Água de Pau, Vanessa Silva. When visiting Ribeirinha, the Regional Secretary was accompanied by Alexandre Gaudêncio and Jaime Vieira, the current and future Mayors of Ribeira Grande, as well as the President of the Parish Council of Ribeirinha, Marco Furtado.

The government official took the opportunity to "show solidarity and offer words of comfort to the families affected by this unexpected event, which caused very significant damage." He reiterated the Regional Government's commitment and dedication to resolving the situation and providing support to compensate for the losses incurred.

According to the Regional Secretary for the Environment and Climate Action, "the Legal and Financial Support Scheme for Climate Emergencies will be activated for this purpose. This solidarity-based instrument was created by the Regional Government in 2022, with a view to providing financial support to families affected by material and property damage following extreme weather events that are not covered by other existing support schemes."

"This mechanism will be extremely beneficial in the case of the events that occurred in Água de Pau, namely to address the damage caused by the dragging of approximately 15 vehicles, 5 of which were destroyed, as well as other damage that is not covered by other support schemes," he added.

The government official emphasised that it is also necessary to determine the causes of the flooding and work to prevent future occurrences, especially at a time when it is known that this type of natural phenomenon will become increasingly frequent due to climate change.

Alonso Miguel noted that "everyone must contribute to minimising this type of situation by complying with the law," adding that this requires "the owners of private land within stream beds to ensure the maintenance and cleaning of their properties. Moreover, municipal councils are required to clean and maintain land within urban areas, with the responsibility for other cases falling to the Regional Government, through the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action."

The Regional Secretary revealed that "within the scope of the Regional Government's powers, this work is carried out continuously throughout the year by the operational teams of the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action, based on data from the State of Azorean Streams (RERA).  This report is produced annually and ranks incidents according to their severity and defines the prioritisation of the most urgent interventions.”

Alonso Miguel stated that, in the case of the events in Água de Pau, everything indicates that the situation that caused the flooding originated from a duly licensed logging operation upstream. Nevertheless, the necessary good practices may not have been followed, particularly regarding the non-deposition of wood and plant debris near watercourses, which led to these materials being swept away, blocking two hydraulic passages. This resulted in the overflowing of water and flooding of the entire area, causing very significant damage.

Alonso Miguel stated that "this situation has already been reported to the Regional Government department responsible for licensing and supervising logging operations, namely the Regional Secretariat for Agriculture and Food, through the Regional Directorate for Forest Resources and Spatial Planning, so that an investigation can be launched and, if non-compliance is found, the respective administrative offence proceedings will be initiated."

Regarding the situation in the Gramas area, in Ribeirinha, Alonso Miguel acknowledged that this is a recurring problem. However, he pointed out that "the definitive solution will be implemented shortly, following an ARAAL contract signed between the Regional Government and the Ribeira Grande Municipal Council. It will ensure the redevelopment and improvement of the drainage conditions of the tributary to Ribeira das Gramas stream, namely through the widening of the canal and the levelling of the watercourse bed."

The government official concluded by recalling "the importance of preventive and responsible action on the part of the population, particularly regarding the disposal of waste and other materials in watercourses, as well as the adoption of good practices in productive activities, such as timber harvesting in the vicinity of watercourses. This will prevent the silting up of stream beds and culverts, thereby minimising the risk of flooding, which often threatens the safety of people and property and causes significant material and financial damage."