Landslides in Porto Brandão, Portugal, have forced approximately 500 residents to evacuate their homes, with officials warning that some may not be able to return. The ongoing geological instability is causing damage to roads and homes in the coastal community, prompting a request for a national state of calamity.
The evacuations began this week as the land continued to shift, according to a statement from the Almada Municipal Chamber. Residents have been removing their belongings with technical assistance from local authorities. As of Friday, February 13, 2026, all residents have been relocated, and the municipality is currently supporting over 160 people.
Almada Mayor Inês de Medeiros stated that the municipality is finalizing a request to the national government to declare a state of calamity in Almada, which would unlock exceptional support measures. “We are talking about a large area of land that is at risk of collapse and with the need to remove people who, probably, will not be able to return to their homes at all,” she said during a press conference. The declaration would allow for quicker access to resources and aid for those affected.
Medeiros acknowledged that the situation was anticipated, but the speed and scale of the landslides were unexpected. She indicated that a comprehensive plan will be needed to address the needs of those displaced, going beyond preventative measures and minor repairs. A thorough analysis of the cliffside is as well planned.
The mayor emphasized the need for national support, noting that even as government officials have visited the area and begun to understand the extent of the danger, “not enough has been done politically.” She warned that the situation will require attention for “several months” to come.
“A Dramatic Situation”
José Luís Carneiro, the secretary-general of the Socialist Party, appealed to the government to send a multidisciplinary team to Porto Brandão. “What is happening here is very serious, something that particularly touches us, and the Government has a duty not to leave a mayor alone with a drama of this nature,” he said, according to the Lusa news agency.
Geographer José Carlos Ferreira, who is monitoring the situation with a team from the Faculty of Sciences and Technology at the New University of Lisbon, told the press that ground movement in Porto Brandão remains “very active.” People living on or at the base of the cliff have been evacuated as a precaution. “The movement has intensified and the land is sliding,” he explained. The landslides, which have already caused significant damage, are unpredictable and span “dozens of meters.”
Ferreira described the situation as “dramatic,” noting that some homes have already been destroyed and others are at risk. Access to the area is currently limited to boat and an alternate route, as the main road has been damaged. The number of affected homes is still being assessed.
The monitoring of cliffs in the Almada municipality will continue for years, with another area of concern being the fossil cliff of Costa de Caparica, north of the highway, where landslides have already occurred this year due to inclement weather, as detailed in a recent report. The ongoing instability highlights the vulnerability of coastal communities to erosion and extreme weather events.
