West coast beaches – known for treacherous currents and undertows – will be even more dangerous this summer, warn experts. A natural change in wave directions has stripped beaches of sand over the winter, causing steep inclines off coastal shores.
The worst affected areas will be around Cascais and Sintra, where beachside communities suffered from unusually ferocious seas last winter.
The phenomenon spells an increased risk for bathers, many of whom are still not fully aware of the dangers of swimming on Portugal’s west coast.
Every year, drownings occur – one of the worst incidents for many years took place at Praia do Tonel in Sagres in 2007 when two sets of British parents on holiday drowned trying to save their children from strong currents. In 2012, an English child and her grandfather both drowned after being swept into the sea during a walk along the seashore near Nazaré, and this year six students lost their lives to a freak wave at Meco beach near Sesimbra.
Talking to Correio da Manhã, climate change specialist Filipe Duarte Santos, a lecturer at Lisbon’s faculty of science, said the change in wave direction will exacerbate coastal erosion. Add to this the fact that sea levels are rising, and conditions along Portugal’s coast are becoming ever more treacherous.
Currently coordinating a study on the effects of coastal erosion, Santos said there are three ways to counter the growing problem. Heavy structures need to be built along seashores, coastal dunes need to be replenished along with other measures taken to “put nature on our side”, and communities need to be shifted back from the sea.
Only last week, the government announced that a total of 835 illegal coastal homes would be bulldozed, starting this May – the majority of them on the Algarve’s southern coast, which, coincidentally has received more sand this year, as the currents stripping west coast beaches have caused extra sand to be deposited along the south coast.
Meantime, the government has announced a €300 million rescue package to repair last winter’s damage along the west coast. Esposende, Matosinhos, Ovar, Marinha Grande, Mafra, Cascais and Almada will be getting the bulk of the money, writes CM.
