The Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, Miguel Pinto Luz, announced this Monday (9 February) that he mandated the LNEC to carry out “a major audit of all works of art and critical infrastructure” following the storms that have affected the national territory.
At the end of a meeting with various entities in the infrastructure sector, Miguel Pinto Luz said that the National Civil Engineering Laboratory (LNEC) was the body mandated to lead this audit because large infrastructures, such as “large embankments and bridges”, cannot “be at stake in extreme situations” such as those that have been experienced in the country.
The Minister of Infrastructure also said that the infrastructure audit will be carried out “in the coming months, in the coming years”.
“We must ensure that the legacy in public works is resistant, has safety conditions and is reliable for the Portuguese who use it every day”, he added.
Asked about the stability of the dikes on the Mondego River and Tagus River, Pinto Luz said that although they do not inspire “concerns”, they are currently “being permanently monitored”.
Fifteen people have died in Portugal since January 28 following the passage of the Cristino, Leonardo and Marta depressions, which also caused many hundreds of injuries and displacement.
The total or partial destruction of homes, businesses and equipment, the fall of trees and structures, the closure of roads, schools and transport services, and the cut of energy, water and communications, floods and floods are the main material consequences of the storm.
The Centro, Lisbon and Vale do Tejo and Alentejo regions are the most affected.
The Government extended the calamity situation until the 15th for 68 municipalities and announced support measures of up to 2.5 billion euros.
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