Adverse weather conditions across Madeira resulted in 77 incidents between 20:00 on Saturday, the 31st of October, and 17:00 on Sunday, the 1st of November, according to Civil Protection.
Flooding and landslides accounted for most incidents, with 178 personnel and 83 operational resources deployed.
The total included 27 flooding incidents, 21 landslides, 10 road clearance operations, six blockage clearance operations, two fallen trees, three structural collapses, seven patrol and surveillance operations, and one other incident.
Funchal recorded the highest number of incidents, with 31, followed by Santa Cruz with 21 and Câmara de Lobos with seven. Ponta do Sol recorded five, while Machico and São Vicente each reported three. Calheta, Santana and Ribeira Brava recorded two each, and Porto Moniz one.
Flooding and unstable ground in Santa Cruz
In Santa Cruz, municipal resources were placed on standby, with a coordinated response involving the Municipal Civil Protection Service, Santa Cruz Fire Brigade and other municipal services.
According to the council, 37 incidents were recorded between 08:00 and 19:00. Of these, 31 related to adverse weather and civil protection, four were medical emergencies and two involved road traffic collisions.
Weather-related incidents included flooding in homes, garages, business premises and public roads; blocked levadas, watercourses and drainage systems; displaced sluice and drain covers; fallen trees; and unstable walls.
On Estrada do Garajau, in Caniço, a tree fell onto a vehicle, disrupting traffic.
In Caniço de Baixo, municipal teams cleared a blocked watercourse to restore drainage.
Ground instability and a partially collapsed wall were also identified on Estrada dos Casais de Além, in Camacha. The site remains under observation.
Teams continued to monitor affected areas, assess risks and take measures to minimise the impact on residents, infrastructure and roads.
Santa Cruz Council said no casualties had been reported in connection with the weather-related incidents.
Heavy rain also affects Porto Santo
Porto Santo experienced rain overnight and throughout much of Sunday, with conditions intensifying significantly towards the late afternoon.
A particularly heavy spell lasting around 90 minutes caused water to accumulate rapidly on roads, flooding several locations and forcing motorists to slow down.
The persistent downpours also caught out many visitors from Madeira who had chosen to spend the weekend on the ‘Golden Island’.
Municipal authorities continue to monitor conditions and vulnerable areas. Residents and visitors are urged to take precautions, avoid unnecessary journeys through potentially affected locations and follow official advice.
Please note that the figures vary slightly due to different reporting locations.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
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