The Public Security Police (PSP) and two teams from the Volunteer Firefighters of Câmara de Lobos (BVCL) were activated on Sunday to search for a man who was reported missing in the Fajã das Galinhas area.
According to media outlet, JM, he was one of the few individuals who insisted on staying in his home, during the last fires that forced the evacuation of most of the village.
Today, the BVCL rescue team went to the scene and managed to find the body buried under rubble.
In other news, reports state that thirteen families from Fajã das Galinhas, in Câmara de Lobos, a total of 46 people, have already been rehoused after being removed from their homes due to the fire.
“As of today, we have 13 households relocated, for a total of 46 people,” said Leonel Silva, in statements to the Lusa agency, expecting that by the end of the week another 24 people (seven families) will be rehoused.
On the 17th of August, 120 residents were removed from the Fajã das Galinhas site, in the parish of Estreito de Câmara de Lobos, due to the flames that made the only access road, impassable.
Several residents went to the homes of friends and family and others to the Câmara de Lobos and Estreito de Câmara de Lobos community centres. Those remaining at the centres will be rehoused under Regional Government and City Council housing schemes.
Fajã das Galinhas has been deemed unfit and dangerous for human habitation, and there was talk of building a new village a short distance from the site, which would cost in the region of 7.5 million euros.
Leonel Silva indicated that today, 24 people are still living at Estreito de Câmara de Lobos Community Centre, and “almost all” will be rehoused by the end of this week.
According to the mayor, five people did not want to leave their homes and continue to reside in Fajã das Galinhas, despite the access road to the site being closed.
On Sunday, one of these residents died, confirmed Leonel Silva, stressing, however, that “contrary to what had been initially reported, there was no landslide.” The mayor said that, according to the information he has from the firefighters, the PSP, and the coroner, the man, a farmer, died from a fall when the ground beneath him collapsed.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
