A landslide on the road connecting to the Ferraria area, in the parish of Ginetes, Ponta Delgada, did not result in any casualties, according to a source from the Azorean regional government.
The Azores Regional Secretariat for Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructure, overseen by Berta Cabral, issued a statement advising against circulation and staying on the road “due to the current instability of the slope and the observed on-site conditions, until security parameters are restored.”
This afternoon, the Regional Directorate of Public Works “was notified of a landslide on the access path to Ferraria, with a request for support to clear the road,” the note stated.
“Upon learning of the incident, the Regional Directorate of Public Works promptly mobilized support and intervention resources to assess the situation, carry out the necessary road clearing works, and maximize circulation conditions, allowing vehicles trapped in the parking lot to exit,” it added.
Various machinery and equipment, including a truck, a backhoe, and an excavator, were deployed to “ensure the removal of rock and soil blocks, create a parallel circulation path, and reposition ‘new jersey’ blocks to contain possible debris dislodged at the affected site.”
On Tuesday, members of the Regional Civil Engineering Laboratory (LREC) will visit the location for “a detailed safety analysis of the affected slope,” the same Azorean Regional Government source indicated.
The Ponta Delgada City Council announced in a statement that it is collaborating in support operations initiated following the landslide alert.
“Following the landslide this afternoon on the access to the Ferraria bathing area, the Ponta Delgada City Council, after contact from the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Change, immediately activated its resources to support ongoing work and ensure people’s safety,” the statement sent to Lusa explained.
The municipality, in conjunction with regional authorities, “provided transport for tourists trapped at the site, directing them to their respective tourist accommodations.”
“Simultaneously, the Municipal Civil Protection Service monitored on-site stabilization and road cleaning operations, in close collaboration with the Regional Directorate of Public Works and other involved entities, which deployed technical resources and heavy equipment to clear the road, remove soil and rock blocks, reposition protective barriers, and create a parallel circulation path,” it added.
The Mayor of Ponta Delgada, Pedro Nascimento Cabral, emphasized in the note that “the priority was to ensure people’s safety and support the swift resolution of an incident involving dozens of citizens in a highly visited tourist area of the municipality.”
The municipality “will always be available to collaborate in emergency situations like this, in close cooperation with the Regional Government and other competent authorities,” the mayor concluded.
