The Mayor of Cartaxo guarantees that the approximately 600 people who live in the villages of Valada, Porto de Muge and Reguengo will not fail to be safe even if, in an extreme situation, access to the only bridge that allows them to leave becomes submerged due to the rise of the Tagus River.
“The only way to leave Valada is via the Dona Amélia bridge. The other roads (connecting Vale de Santarém, Vale da Pedra and Azambuja) are submerged, but we are managing to make this crossing. Our fire engines have been able to make this crossing and we have been providing support to the population. However, the only access to the bridge, through Salvaterra de Magos, may be at risk”explained João Heitor to DN.
The mayor guarantees that the “situation is under control” and that this “is a phenomenon that has already happened several times”, so the population already has “some resilience and is prepared”. “The water level is rising and the flow is being monitored. But even if the flow rises a lot, the population is still safe”he added.
João Heitor said that the “municipality has been greatly affected” by the sequence of storms. “We had three days with around 30 percent of the population without electricity and there may be one case or another in which it is not yet restored. We have been resolving these issues”he stressed, also explaining that a “contracted bus service has been transporting students” to schools and that the municipality has helped to transport meals from a day center to the most remote villages.
“It is not a pleasant situation. It is a delicate situation. We will keep our operational resources available”he assured.
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