The rain that fell persistently in recent weeks in the municipality of Serpa left deep marks on the territory and a common feeling among farmers, firefighters and residents: concern about the present and, above all, about what could come next.
Although Storm Marta gave a truce this Saturday morning, The effects of accumulated precipitation remain clearly visible in flooded fields, on degraded secondary roads and in a population that has come to live on alert.
“For two or three weeks now, things have been getting worse in an unusual proportion,” describes Jorge Branco, an agricultural worker, as he recounts a scenario that has become routine. He works next to Ribeira do Enxué, which is normally almost dry, but this winter has turned into a constant threat. “With so much water, so much water, the river overflowed and flooded neighboring land. Our olive grove, which is still slightly removed, has been under water for three weeks, three to four hectares submerged.”
Numbers help to understand the scale of the problem. “In 48 hours we reached 100 liters per square meter. In three weeks we already reached 300 liters”he states, stressing that “this is too much, it’s really too much”. The direct impact can be felt in daily work: “The tractor has been stopped for almost a month. We can’t get into the field. If we do, we run the risk of getting stuck and alone. No one will take any chances.”
The same reality is confirmed by Manuel Nolasco, linked to agriculture and construction, who describes a municipality practically surrounded by water during the most critical days. “Serpa had the Beja road cut, the Vale de Vargo road cut, and the Pias road too. All the ravines and rivers overflowed.” Although the situation is now calmer, the damage is worrying. “In the lower areas, next to the rivers, there were super-intensive olive groves and olive groves planted recently. There will certainly be damage.”
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