Aftermath of flooding
Updated: 09-Oct-2008
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Flood waters rose to around 1.5 metres inside the California shopping centre.
Photos: SUPPLIED
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eloise@the-resident.com
COUNCILLORS AT Albufeira Câmara unanimously approved the creation of a municipal fund to be used in the event of emergencies to repair damages caused by floods and other natural disasters in the county.
During the Câmara meeting, which was held on September 29, a deadline of 60 days was agreed for the regulations and value of the new emergency fund to be decided upon.
It was also decided during the meeting that Albufeira Câmara will ensure that a study given to the Instituto Superior Técnico (CESUR), Lisbon’s technical university, one year ago, will be finished within the 60 days.
The results of this study will be used to evaluate the projects of Albufeira’s Polis Programme, whether the constructions conform to the original plans and to present any proposals to eventual corrections that may be introduced.
It was also decided that a preventative cleanup would be carried out along the entire fluvial drainage network in Albufeira, which would happen regularly from now on to avoid future incidents.
An inquiry to find out the exact causes of the floods and the total amount of destruction was also approved. This was due to be completed within 10 days and will include a full inventory of the damages, the costs and the people affected by the floods on September 22.
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The Gallinari hair and beauty salon was completely destroyed by flash floods
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Jobless
Following the flash floods, The Resident spoke to British resident, Liza Gallinari, one of the affected business owners from the California shopping centre.
Liza, who owns the Gallinari Hair and Beauty Salon, said: “The torrential rain and high tide flooded the shopping centre; one of the lowest critical areas of Albufeira, which I think was made worse by the constructions of the Polis Programme.
“Although all the doors were locked, the force of the water broke them open and flooded all of the shops.”
The sewage system also overflowed into the shopping centre up to a height of around 1.5 metres and damaged thousands of euros worth of stock.
As well as ruining equipment and furniture, worth an estimated 150,000 euros, two staff also found themselves without work from one day to the next.
“One of my employees is returning to the UK, partly because of what happened, and another lady, who is self employed, has lost all of the work that she would have done here,” she said.
After the floods, Liza and several other shop owners met with members of Albufeira Câmara.
“They said that they could not guarantee that this would never happen again, so I am now looking for alternative premises. There is no point going back if there is a risk of losing everything again,” she said.
Have you been affected by the recent floods across the Algarve? Tell us your story. Write to the Editor at editor@the-resident.com
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