“We have last-minute information regarding impacts on the Graciosa airport terminal’s coverage,” announced the regional Secretary for Environment and Climate Action during a status update at the regional Civil Protection headquarters on Terceira Island.
According to Alonso Miguel, the damage to the terminal “could cause disruptions to the infrastructure’s operation and, consequently, to the air activity” managed by SATA Air Açores.
The official, responsible for Civil Protection in the Azores, stated that damage assessments were still underway, without having “detailed information on this matter.”
“The information we have is that there was damage caused to the Graciosa airport terminal’s coverage, and currently, SATA teams [the company providing handling services at the terminal] are on-site evaluating the extent and severity of these impacts and determining the potential effects on air activity,” he emphasized.
Alonso Miguel specified that the possible disruptions to air activity on Graciosa Island will depend on the “assessment being conducted and the damage inflicted on the terminal.”
“Information from SATA indicates that teams are already on-site conducting damage assessments,” he reiterated.
The tropical cyclone Gabrielle was initially expected to pass through the Azores as a category 1 hurricane but has since transformed into a post-tropical storm.
The most critical period of the storm occurred between 3:00 AM and 9:00 AM local time (one hour later in Lisbon), with the greatest impact on the islands of Graciosa, Faial, and Terceira.
The islands of the Central (Pico, Faial, Graciosa, Terceira, and São Jorge) and Western groups (Flores and Corvo) were under a red alert (the highest in a three-tier scale) due to precipitation, wind, and maritime agitation, with red alerts for wind and maritime agitation remaining in effect in the Central group until 12:00 noon today.
The Regional Government declared an alert status from 6:00 PM Thursday until the same time today in the Central and Western groups, prohibiting certain activities.
On these islands, non-essential and non-urgent public services, including schools, were also closed.
[Updated at 10:41 AM]
