After a rainy November, the Eastern Algarve remains the only area in mainland Portugal that is still facing an “extreme drought”.
So says the November climate summary released this week by the Portuguese Sea and Atmosphere Institute (IPMA).
Elsewhere in Portugal, the rainfall helped many areas pull themselves out of a dire drought especially in the northern and central regions.
Below the Tejo River, most areas still face moderate to severe droughts – but only in the Eastern Algarve is the situation considered “extreme”.
In fact, only a tiny fraction of land in Portugal is said to be facing an “extreme drought” (0.6%) while 10.9% is facing a “severe drought” and 23.3% is experiencing a “moderate drought”.
In the Algarve, local mayors have been calling for the construction of more dams to help the region face the increasing threat of droughts.
Castro Marim Mayor Francisco Amaral believes that the construction of a third major dam in the municipality would be “extremely important” to help the area cope, while São Brás de Alportel Mayor Vítor Guerreiro has also spoken out about how the government should “re-evaluate the viability of new dams and promote their construction, namely the Alportel (or Monte da Ribeira) dam”.
Photo: BRUNO FILIPE PIRES/OPEN MEDIA GROUP
