More than 80 flights departing or ending in Madeira were canceled today due to adverse weather conditions, according to ANA – Aeroportos on its official website. According to information provided by ANA, consulted by the Lusa agency in the late afternoon, 43 arrivals and 42 departures were cancelled.
Some connections took place, but diverged, and others were previously canceled by the airlines. Since this morning, 10 planes have landed at Madeira International Airport – Cristiano Ronaldo and 13 aircraft have departed.
ANA warns that “weather forecasts point to adverse conditions that may affect operations (departures and arrivals) in the coming days”, asking passengers to contact the company to confirm the status of their flight before heading to the airport.
Alert
The Regional Civil Protection Service (SRPC) of Madeira today recommended the adoption of preventive measures due to the passage of the Regina depression through the archipelago, which is expected to affect the weather until Wednesday morning. In a statement, the SRPC warns of the possibility of falling branches or trees, as well as “affecting communications and energy infrastructure”.
It is also expected that the passage of the depression will cause the dragging of loose objects onto the roads and the detachment of structures due to the predicted strong wind, which could cause accidents with vehicles or passersby on public roads, adds the regional authority. Floods may also occur in urban areas, drainage difficulties, coastal overtopping, among other events, says the SRPC.
The regional authority recommends the adoption of preventive measures to mitigate the impact of the effects of bad weather, especially in more exposed and potentially more vulnerable areas. Civil Protection emphasizes that the “unblocking of rainwater drainage systems must be guaranteed, removing inert materials and other objects susceptible to being dragged or obstructing the flow of water”, as well as adequate fixation of loose structures, such as scaffolding and others.
The regional authority asks the population to take special care when traveling and staying near wooded areas and the coastline. Travel to affected areas should be avoided and the population should pay attention to meteorological information and indications from Civil Protection and security forces, reinforces the SRPC.
The recommendations are based on information from the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA), which predicts that the Regina depression will cause precipitation, snow, strong winds and sea disturbances. The depression will be centered in the eastern part of the autonomous region on Tuesday and, the following day, will gradually move southeast, ceasing to condition the weather from Wednesday morning.
On Thursday, a cold frontal surface is expected to pass through, causing cloudy skies and rain. Bad weather has also affected movement at Madeira International Airport, having already caused the cancellation of more than 80 flights today.
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