The strong winds also affected a tourist resort in the municipality, causing 23 injuries, all minor.
In total, the municipality of Albufeira recorded 28 injuries, of which 26 were minor and two were serious. They are of Portuguese, Spanish, French and British nationality and are aged between 6 and 85 years old, Civil Protection reported.
Speaking to SIC Notícias, Paula Leitão, IPMA meteorologist, confirmed that it was a tornado that hit the Albufeira campsite. “The clouds descended to the surface, with objects projected, and this was clearly a tornado. The way in which the objects were ripped from the ground and those that remained suspended in the air, being thrown against the walls, some even stuck in the surfaces, are typical situations of a tornado.”
Other areas of the Algarve were also affected. In Silves, two people were left homeless and have already been temporarily relocated.
Upon leaving the Portuguese Firefighters League congress, the Prime Minister lamented the death that occurred this Saturday morning in Albufeira. He said that he was going to find out what was happening, but that the Civil Protection device was ready.
The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, has also mourned the fatal victim, expressing solidarity with the family and wishing the injured a quick recovery.
However, in a statement, a source from the Albufeira Camping Park said that the area affected by the strong wind “remains isolated and closed”, with the remaining area having been vacated, in accordance with instructions from the authorities.
For family members and guests who require information, a specific channel was created: the information line with the number 00351289587630 and a priority service email: geral@campingalbufeira.net.
412 occurrences in the Algarve
To journalists, the regional commander of the Algarve Civil Protection also explained that the National Operational Coordination Center activated the state of national readiness, due to the passage of the Cláudia depression, on the 12th, at 2 pm.
Since then, until 1:30 pm today, the Algarve has recorded 412 incidents, with 973 operatives mobilized, from various forces, including firefighters, GNR, PSP and PJ.
All 16 municipalities in the Algarve recorded incidents related to the phenomenon.
The most serious situations since the 12th occurred in Faro, Albufeira, Lagoa and Silves.