“The objective is to reduce the potentially harmful consequences of floods for human health, the environment, cultural heritage, infrastructure, and economic activities”, explained the regional secretary for the Environment and Climate Action, Alonso Miguel, during the presentation of the flood risk management plan to the Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, Environment, and Sustainable Development.

According to the survey carried out, based on historical data on occurrences recorded in more than 700 river basins in the Azores, the plan defined five basins at risk of floods and river floods, for which detailed risk mapping was produced, namely the Ribeira Grande and the Povoação stream, on the island of São Miguel, the Agualva stream and the Porto Judeu streams, on the Terceira island, and the Ribeira Grande, on the island of Flores.

“In addition to these river basins, six new river basins were included, namely the caves of Areia and Cinzeiro, on the island of São Miguel, the rivers of Casa da Ribeira and São Bento, on the island of Terceira, Ribeira Seca, in São Jorge, and Ribeira do Dilúvio, in Pico”, said the governor.

The new flood risk management plan also identified four coastal areas potentially subject to sea overtopping: the seafront between São Roque and Cais do Pico, on the island of Pico, the seafront between São Roque and Rosto do Cão, in Ponta Delgada, the Lagoa seafront and the Ribeira Quente seafront, in Povoação.

“The estimated investment for the implementation of a set of prevention requests amounts to around 18 million euros, the overwhelming majority, around 94 percent, investments relating to risk management measures”, highlighted the holder of the portfolio of Environment in the archipelago.

The flood risk management plan for the Azores, now presented to deputies, which was already under public discussion between October and November last year, will be discussed and voted on in plenary before coming into force.