Works begin to prevent flooding along Albufeira seafront

Construction work aimed at reducing the risk of flooding along Albufeira’s seafront began this week and is expected to make this part of the city less flood-prone in the lead-up to the region’s flooding season in the coming months.

The “Inatel Flood Risk Mitigation Interventions” contract, which will cost 300,000 euros in total, aims to solve the problems caused when high water levels negatively affect this part of the city. “Whenever there are adverse weather conditions, with heavy rain, there are problems of flooding in some areas of the city, namely near the roundabout located at the confluence of Avenida Infante D. Henrique with Ruas do Mar and Almirante Gago Coutinho, in the Inatel”, framed an Albufeira Council spokesman.

Once completed, the intervention will “increase the hydraulic capacity of the channelled section downstream of the intersection with Avenida Infante D. Henrique until the discharge at Inatel Beach, as well as the removal of obstructions and intersections of existing infrastructures along this section and the trench section in the area under intervention”.

According to José Carlos Rolo, Mayor of Albufeira, this is “a very crowded area throughout the year, both in terms of residents and tourists, that whenever rainfall intensifies it is completely flooded, which cannot continue to happen.”. In this first initial phase, the sidewalk zone will be closed off between the Inatel Praia building and the Santa Rita Chalet.

In March, traffic signs will indicate closed sections of road (except for residents and emergency vehicles) once the start of work begins at Avenida Infante D. Henrique and Rua do Oceano, as well as signs indicating other locations of danger and road works.