The level of the Guadiana River has “dropped significantly,” but it remains “outside its banks,” said the mayor of Alcoutim today, anticipating damage of “some severity” to the river beach and navigation support structures.
Paulo Paulino told the Lusa news agency that it is too early to quantify the damage, because there are still submerged areas that are inaccessible, but he indicated that one of the places where there was “greater damage” was the Alcoutim river beach, located on a stream that flows into the river and which was flooded.
“The beach bar, the equipment that is part of the beach, therefore, the changing rooms, the first-aid stations, the bathrooms, all those structures surrounding the beach are damaged, and the damage is quite serious in terms of construction,” diagnosed the president of that municipality in the district of [district name]. Faro.
There is also damage to be accounted for in the lower part of the village of Alcoutim, where “there was a laundry and a support building for maritime tourism,” noted the mayor, indicating that, in addition to the municipal seat, the rising river also affected Laranjeiras and Guerreiros do Rio, localities where kiosks, fishing support facilities, and bars were damaged.
“The docking infrastructure has all suffered enormous damage. In Guerreiros do Rio and Laranjeira, they are completely destroyed,” he noted, clarifying that in Alcoutim, these structures were also affected, but some may still be recovered or repaired.
Also damaged by the water were fishermen’s support houses and a bar in Laranjeiras, while in Guerreiros do Rio, “the kiosk that was there, also selling food and drinks, suffered damage,” he pointed out.