Alonso Miguel visits area where works are underway to restore normality on Sete Cidades Lake shores after August storm

Sept. 11, 2023

The Regional Secretary for the Environment and Climate Change, Alonso Miguel, visited the works underway on the shores of Sete Cidades Lake to remediate the impacts of the storm that struck on August 20, 2023.

The government official explained that most of the materials that have accumulated on the shores of Sete Cidades Lake are the result of the storm that struck on August 20, contrary to what some people, "with major responsibilities and governmental irresponsibility in the Region over the last 24 years, have been spreading on social media."

"Since the most severe impacts have been felt in the parishes of Remédios da Bretanha, Santo António, Ajuda da Bretanha, Capelas, Ginetes and Mosteiros, municipality of Ponta Delgada, the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Change has immediately focused its efforts on addressing the problems faced by these parishes. A large amount of materials washed away and deposited in gullies upstream of the populated areas of these parishes has considerably increased the risk of further disasters," explained Alonso Miguel.

He continued: "In this respect, all the operational teams led by the Regional Directorate for Spatial Planning and Water Resources, including that operating in Sete Cidades, have been strategically mobilised for the necessary interventions in these parishes, given the urgency of solving the most worrying situations."

"The removal of built-up materials and the landscaping of the shores of Sete Cidades Lake, which are already being carried out, are also important interventions. However, they are not the priority or most urgent interventions, especially when compared to the situations in the most affected areas as they did not pose any immediate danger to the population," stated the Secretary for the Environment and Climate Change.

The government official stated that "part of the Sete Cidades operational team has already been in the area to carry out the aforementioned interventions since last Monday."

"In addition, the intervention to clear and clean the large retention basin in Sete Cidades began as early as August 23, i.e. three days after the storm with the aim of reducing the risk of new disasters. This procedure has now been completed," said Alonso Miguel.

Alonso Miguel also added that the Canto dos Carneiros retention basin had been completely cleared before the storm. The operational team from the Regional Directorate for Spatial Planning and Water Resources is currently cleaning the basin again, given that considerable volumes of material were washed away as a result of landslides in the Criações and Grota do Inferno areas, in addition to large quantities of wood from forestry cuts carried out within the hydrographic basin.

"At the moment, the access to the canal of the lake's discharge tunnel is being cleared and work is underway to clean up the materials that have washed up and accumulated along the Caminho dos Arrebentões road and the discharge canal of the large basin," said Alonso Miguel.

The Regional Secretary added that "a footbridge will be built at the end of the discharge channel of the large retention basin to replace the footbridge on the existing track, which was destroyed during a storm about a year ago. In fact, it is a more effective, safer and longer-lasting solution in that context."

Alonso Miguel concluded by saying that "the works underway to restore normality to the shores of Setes Cidades Lake should be completed within two to three weeks." 

The Regional Secretary was accompanied by the Regional Director for Spatial Planning and Water Resources, Emanuel Barcelos.