“Considering that the conditions which prompted the adoption of exceptional preventive measures no longer exist, it was concluded that the state of alert is no longer justified, as the critical period ends at 12:00 today,” announced the Azores Regional Civil Protection and Fire Service (SRPCBA) in a press release.
The order ending the state of alert, signed by the Regional Secretary for Environment and Climate Action, Alonso Miguel, has been published in the Official Journal.
The Azores Civil Protection added in a statement that the dispatch issued by the President of the Regional Government mandating the closure of all non-urgent or non-essential public services and agencies on the islands of the Western and Central groups until 18:00 today “remains in effect.”
The state of alert involved the “prohibition of activities near coastal and river areas” and “restriction of movement along the coastline, except for residents and essential services.”
Touristic or leisure activities, specifically hiking trails, as well as sports, recreational, cultural, or religious activities in open spaces at risk areas, were also prohibited.
The Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) had forecast that tropical cyclone Gabrielle would pass through the Azores as a category 1 hurricane, but it transformed into a post-tropical storm.
The most critical period occurred between 03:00 and 09:00 local time (one hour ahead in Lisbon), with significant impact on the islands of Graciosa, Faial, and Terceira.
The islands of the Central (Pico, Faial, Graciosa, Terceira, and São Jorge) and Western (Flores and Corvo) groups were under a red warning (the most severe on a scale of three) due to precipitation, wind, and sea agitation.
Azores Civil Protection recorded 196 incidents across the archipelago, without injuries, and 16 people needed to be rehoused.
