“Since Tuesday, we have seen small sheets of water forming in Praça do Bocage, there has been flooding of the river banks in several areas, namely in the Albarquel Urban Park, and flooding on the Mitrena road and the Santo Ovídeo road, in the parish of Faralhão”, said José Luís Bucho, in statements to Lusa.

According to the official, flooding and flooding of the river banks, caused by high tides, occur in the months of April and May and September and October.

José Luís Bucho also mentioned that, in addition to warnings to the population, the Civil Protection has temporarily closed the Santo Ovídeo road, on the stretch between Faralhão and the Mourisca Tide Mill, in the parish of Faralhão, and is expected to reopen at the end of the afternoon today, when the spring tides end.

The coordinator of the Municipal Civil Protection also recalled that the city of Setúbal has resolved the problem of flooding upstream, with the floodplain retention basin, which collects water from the Palmela mountains, but that there is still no solution for the flooding caused by spring tides.

When questioned by the Portuguese news agency, José Luís Bucho explained that, in order to prevent water from entering the low-lying areas of the city due to high tides, it would be necessary to install “tidal valves” in the rainwater network, admitting, however, that he does not know the amount of investment required or whether it is feasible.

The coordinator of the Municipal Civil Protection of Setúbal recalled, however, that the city’s biggest problem is when it rains heavily during high tides, because at that time, “with or without tidal valves, there is no drainage of rainwater”.