(h) NASA WORLDVIEW / EPA
Prohibited activities, restricted circulation. Hurricane passed category 1. Activated internal contingency plans in electricity.
Os Azores will declare situation of Warning, between 18:00 today and 18:00 on Fridaywe groups Central e Western, prohibiting certain activities due to the cyclone tropical gabrielle, announced the regional government.
“This situation of warning is in force between 18:00 today and 18:00 tomorrow [sexta-feira]”, Said the Regional Secretary of Environment and Climate Action, Alonso Miguel, at the headquarters of Civil Protection, in Angra do Heroísmo.
According to the ruler, the warning situation implies “prohibition of activities next to the coastal edge and in riverside areas ”and“ a circulation restriction next to the coastal edge, except for essential residents and services. ”
“Activities touristy or playful, Namely pedestrian rails ”, as well as“ sports, recreational, cultural or religious activities in open spaces, located in areas exposed to risk ”.
On Wednesday, the Azorean Executive had already determined the closure of schools and public services on the seven islands of the western and central group from 18:00 today until 6:00 pm on Friday.
The Portuguese Institute of Sea and atmosphere placed the islands of the central and western groups in red warning, due to forecasts of precipitation, wind and maritime agitation.
Category 1
Hurricane Gabrielle, which will begin to affect the weather conditions in the Azores starting today, has passed to the category 1, the smallest of the scale, maintaining the prediction that it passes through the region with this force.
In a statement accompanied by audio reading, the regional delegation of the Portuguese Institute of Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) indicated that at 09:00 local (10:00 in Lisbon) the tropical cyclone was about 940 kilometers west of Faial Island, in the central group, moving at a speed of 52 kilometers/hour.
“At this time, the Gabrielle cyclone is classified as a category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale, according to the latest results of the weather models, the trajectory of the Tropical Gabrielle cyclone indicates that it should now go very close or even over the central group, Maintaining the category 1 hurricane force, ”said meteorologist Vanda Costa.
On Tuesday, Gabrielle was classified as Category 4 Hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale (between 1 and 5, 5 the most serious level). On Wednesday morning came down to category 3 and, at the end of the day, for category 2.
IPMA predicts “one greatest aggravation weather conditions in the central and eastern groups of what referred to in prior communications ”.
In the central group (Pico, Faial, Graciosa, Terceira and São Jorge) predict “Strong precipitation, wind with gusts in the order of 200 kilometers/hour from the southrunning to the northwest, and wave sea agitation between eight and 10 meters of significant height, and the maximum wave can reach 14 to 18 meters. ”
In the western group (Flores and Crow) there will also be strong precipitation and gusting up to 130 kilometers/hour, with a ripple identical to that of the central group.
Electricity
A epara – Electricity of the Azores activated its internal contingency plansadopting a set of measures adapted to each island, to mitigate the effects of the passage of the Gabrielle Tropical Cyclone, today said the company’s source.
“We have our enabled internal contingency plans, given the expected circumstances, with several mitigating measures, implemented according to the characteristics of each island,” said Isabel Barata, Director of Communication of EDA to Lusa Agency.
According to Isabel Barata, the EDA teams “are prepared and ready to do their best to try to ensure the continuity of electricity supply and the safeguarding of equipment”.
“We are carefully and carefully followed the evolution of this phenomenon to adjust the measures that are necessary to implement,” he added.
Also according to the Director of Communication of the EDA, in the context of these contingency plans, each island has, in operational terms, “a set of procedures, care and means to what is necessary to try, as possible, to maintain the normal supply of electricity” in the archipelago.
“Our plans are activated and we will follow the situation every moment, also trying to adapt the procedures according to events,” he said.
Cancela Hospital
O Hospital de Santo Espírito da Ilo Terceira (HSEIT), in Angra do Heroísmo, said that canceled all appointments, exams and non -urgent surgeries Scheduled for Friday, due to the passage of the Gabrielle Tropical Cyclone through the Azores.
HSEIT said in a statement published on social networks that, “due to the alerts issued for the Gabrielle Hurricane, and following the recommendations of the security authorities and the Regional Civil Protection and Firefighters Service of the Azores”, is “implementing measures of contingency to ensure everyone’s safety and maintain emergency response capacity. ”
“Like this, All consultations, exams and non -urgent surgeries on September 26 [sexta-feira] are canceled”He said.
According to the note, the Emergency service of the HSEIT will remain functional, but the users “should only be directed to the hospital in case of true emergency”.
