Miguel Albuquerque, president of the Regional Government, again called on Wednesday for extending the Pontinha breakwater in the Port of Funchal. He described the project as key to protecting the city from heavy rain and high tides.
Albuquerque made the case while presenting the government's assessment of storm Charles at the Regional Civil Protection Service. He said the city's safety is at stake.
High Tide Clashed With Peak Rainfall Overnight
The president explained that one of the main factors behind the overnight flooding was the coincidence of heavy rainfall, very high stream flows and high tide. When sea levels rise, he said, it becomes harder for streams to discharge into the ocean.
That bottleneck raises water levels inland and adds pressure on drainage systems, especially in the city's lower areas. Albuquerque pointed specifically to the Ribeira de João Gomes as one of the waterways affected.
Pontinha Extension Named a Prevention Priority
It was to reduce Funchal's exposure to this kind of event that Albuquerque again placed the Pontinha breakwater extension among the region's prevention and safety priorities. He argued that lengthening the port structure would reinforce protection along the seafront.
In his view, the extension would stop rising tides from making it harder for streams to drain, cutting the risk of flooding. He framed it as a port upgrade that doubles as a civil protection investment.
Rainfall Exceeded the Levels of February 2010
Albuquerque's appeal carries extra weight after storm Charles, which this week dropped more accumulated rain than the storm behind Madeira's deadliest disaster, on February 20, 2010. He said the two episodes shared very similar characteristics. Times of Madeira has reported that Charles brought 479 millimeters of rain in 12 hours, against 387 millimeters recorded before the 2010 flood, which killed 47 people.
Drainage System Built for Exceptional Peaks
Albuquerque noted that Funchal's drainage infrastructure is sized to cope with exceptional rainfall peaks. Even so, he said the combination of intense rain, high stream flows and high tide remains a challenge for the city's drainage system.
He said the breakwater extension should not be seen only as a port project, but as an investment in risk prevention, in the name of Funchal's security.
Source: dnoticias.pt
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