Moita Reopens Schools and Riverside Cafés Amid Flood Watch

Moita, Setúbal District — 12 February 2024

The Moita Municipal Council on Monday lifted its civil-protection emergency plan, a decision that reopens schools and local commerce but still calls for watchful eyes on the Tagus tides.

Why This Matters

• Classes resume today, sparing families further childcare headaches.

• Shops and cafés along the riverfront may reopen, yet must keep flood barriers at the ready.

• Roads that were cut off are largely passable, though patches of standing water linger in low-lying lanes.

• Further rain is forecast, so insurance photos and household drainage checks remain prudent.

Gradual Re-Opening Across the Municipality

From 11:30 last Friday the Portugal Civil Protection Authority authorised Moita to downgrade its status from emergency to simple alert. Students walked back into classrooms this morning, municipal gyms unlocked their doors and the Lar Abrigo do Tejo elder-care home welcomed residents who had been temporarily relocated inland. Traffic now flows again on the EN11 and most parish roads, but the council has kept speed-limit signage at 50 km/h in areas where thin sheets of water still cross the asphalt.

Still a Volatile Weather Pattern

Meteorologists at the Portugal Sea and Atmosphere Institute (IPMA) expect "on-and-off" showers through mid-week. Although no new red alert is in place, the ground remains water-logged, meaning even moderate downpours can quickly refill drainage ditches. River gauges at Almourol show the Tagus discharge falling from 4,000 to 2,284 m³/s, yet engineers warn that upstream dam releases may bounce that figure back upward without much warning.

Infrastructure Checks Underway

Town engineers spent the weekend inspecting storm-water pumps, culverts and quay walls. Early findings suggest minor scouring near the Vale da Amoreira footbridge and several rural ditches clogged with reeds. The council pledges to clear them before Easter and has already requested a slice of the national €2.5 B disaster-recovery envelope announced by the central government. Businesses claiming losses can pre-register expenses on the Balcão 2020 portal; payouts are capped at €200,000 per establishment.

National Picture: Standing Down but Not Standing Still

Moita is one of dozens of municipalities lowering their alert level this week, yet 125 other local plans remain active, and the Tagus Basin keeps its special-flood plan at red. Fifteen fatalities nationwide since 28 January have injected new urgency into the debate over urban drainage reform. Lisbon expects to table a metropolitan-wide retention-basin programme by summer, and Setúbal district may fast-track funds for natural-riverbank restoration to absorb future surges.

What This Means for Residents

• Re-check home insurance: Flood riders can still be added within 30 days of a civil-protection alert being lifted.

• Photograph any damage before repainting or throwing out ruined furniture—insurers and the tax office both ask for proof.

• Use public transport where possible; buses have resumed full schedules, but parking in Baixa da Banheira remains scarce due to debris clean-up.

• Stick to official channels: Weather bulletins from IPMA and push alerts via the Proteção Civil mobile app will be updated twice daily until the basin returns to green status.

Looking Ahead

If forecasts hold, sunnier skies should arrive by the coming weekend, with highs nudging 19 °C. That gives gardeners a chance to aerate soggy lawns and gives the council a window to repair four still-damaged road shoulders. The municipality says it will reassess flood-readiness measures in March, aiming to publish a revised emergency manual that blends lessons learned from storms Kristin, Leonardo and Marta with EU climate-adaptation guidelines.

For now, Moita’s riverside can breathe again—but only between the clouds.