Portuguese beaches are facing severe erosion after a series of powerful storms, with some areas losing significant amounts of sand in just days. The dramatic coastal changes are raising concerns about the future of tourism and coastal communities.
At Mira beach, the sea has advanced seven meters in just five days, according to experts in coastal dynamics. Nearby, at Guincho beach, wave action has created a steep cliff in the sand. Further south, at Forte Novo beach in Quarteira, the coastline has retreated as much as 20 meters over the past three years.
These examples illustrate the accelerated erosion caused by a recent series of storms that brought strong winds and waves up to 15 meters high over the last three weeks. Beaches are now either without sand or nearly completely submerged at high tide, dunes have been devastated, and coastal structures have been destroyed or reduced to floating debris.
Despite the expectation of natural recovery this spring, experts predict that many beaches could look drastically different next summer. The situation underscores the vulnerability of Portugal’s coastline to increasingly severe weather events.
