Rui Minderico/LUSA
With many cities still flooded and difficult to access, the Government decided to end the state of calamity, as well as the exemption from tolls. Also remember that the A1 (the country’s main highway) is restricted.
The situation of calamity decreed by the Government on January 29th in the areas most affected by Depression Kristin, and extended twice after new storms, ended this sunday.
Still, there are several parts of the country that continue to suffer, with thousands of people still without electricity and others without minimum subsistence conditions.
There is one, since Tuesday.
First decreed on January 29th, then extended until February 8th and then until the 15th, the calamity situation for 68 Portuguese municipalities (where around 1.8 million people live) ends now, as well as the exemption from tolls in the affected territories comes to an end, despite the demands of several municipalities.
The toll exemption covered sections with origin or destination on motorways A8, A17, A14 and A19, reinforcing support for mobility of the populations in the affected regions – many of which However, they continue to need this support.
In detail, the exemption was applied on the A8, between Valado de Frades and Leiria Nascente; on the A17, between the connection to the A8 and Mira; on the A14, between Santa Eulália and Nó de Ança; and on the A19, between the Azoia and São Jorge interchanges. Crossing traffic was not covered.
On Saturday, the Intermunicipal Community of the Leiria Region appealed to the President of the Republic to intervene in the extension of the exemption from tolls on the main highways serving that territory, following the destruction caused by the Kristin depression.
Constraints also on the railway
Circulation in railway lines in the North, Beira Baixa, Beira Alta, Douro, West and Urban Coimbra continue, this Monday, with restrictions or suspensions in some sections following the bad weather of recent weeks, according to CP.
On the North line, which ensures the rail connection between Lisbon and Portoremain suspended, “no recovery forecast”long-distance trains, according to the carrier, in a report made to the Lusa agency, at 8am.
According to CP – Comboios de Portugal, on the Northern Line, only Regional services are provided between Entroncamento and Soure, Coimbra-Aveiro-Porto and between Tomar and Lisbon.
Circulation on the Beira Baixa Line remains suspended, with only Regional trains running between Castelo Branco and Guarda and between Entroncamento and Abrantes.
On the Beira Alta Line, the Intercidades service between Coimbra and Guarda is carried out using different rolling stock than usual.
Circulation on the Douro Line, between Régua and Pocinho, on the West Line and in Coimbra Urban Lines also remains suspended.
On the Cascais Line, trains run with changing timetables, and from today there will be an increase in circulation during peak hours.
The Celta International Train is expected to be carried out, with different rolling stock being used than usual and the Valença-Vigo-Valença route will be made using road transfer, according to the carrier.
Chega defends prolongation of the calamity
In a statement, the National Directorate and the Chega Parliamentary Group challenge the Government “to extend the state of calamity until the end of this month, to extend its application to territories not yet covered, specifically municipalities in the West zone of the Lisbon district, and to extend, accordingly, the exemption from tolls in affected areas”.
“With meteorological instability still present, homes and businesses destroyed and losses to be counted, it is imperative that all public means, ordinary and exceptional, continue to be mobilized in the coming weeks, ensuring an effective and rapid response to the affected populations”, argue Chega leaders.
The party also argues that there are still “significant damage to be repaired and support to be implemented” and that “the formal term of the state of calamity implies the end of a set of exceptional response mechanisms, at a time when situations of social and economic vulnerability persist and in which the impacts of the destruction have not yet been fully assessed”.
