Cliff collapse in Albufeira

According to the local lifeguards at the time of the collapse of a cliff at Maria Luísa beach in Albufeira there was nobody in the area.

On the end of the west side of the Maria Luisa beach, Olhos de Água, Albufeira, a rock collapsed. On Sunday afternoon at a side of the beach where many people usually walk there was not anyone in the area, a fact witnessed by lifeguards.

According to official source statements of the Civil Protection and the commander of the Maritime Police of Portimão, the accident did not cause any injury.

A team of Civil Protection, supported by seven vehicles, went to clean the area hit by the stones. The incoming tide halted rescue operations and staff from the Portuguese Environment Agency are assessing the collapse to see if remedial work is needed to make the area safe from further collapsing cliffs.

Maria Luísa is one of the Algarve’s tourist beaches that has received attention from the Algarve Environmental Agency to ensure holidaymakers were safe throughout the booming 2016 summer season. There had been a significant rock-fall in August 2015 and the Environmental Agency’s director Sebastião Teixeira said the work along the cliff-top was necessary to make the beach safe from rock-fall and landslide. Maria Luísa beach became notorious when on August 21st, 2009, a rock-fall resulted in the death of five people and injuries to two others.

Tourism chief, Desidério Silva, repeated warnings to beach-goers to respect the ‘unstable cliff’ signs especially on beaches with plenty of space. "The beaches that have cliffs are subject to erosion so this is always a problem that is difficult to control,” added Silva warning that nature is unpredictable.