Lucy, what an amazing article. Thank you so much for writing this. We really are the country of desenrascanço and it shows: when it crumbled down and when we put it back up again. People feel abandoned and they are right to feel that way. You put into one text what I tried to convey in multiple. Thank you!
I’m with you. Lots of bla-bla. And It happens everywhere. The tragedy in Crans-Montana in Switzerland on NYE is an example. Now, just before the half term holidays, the authorities closed an hotel there because the fire norms weren’t up to code. Suddenly, after tragedy strikes, everyone panics and goes to fix things. Not even shiny Switzerland is immune. We are not so shiny after all.
At least Ana Abrunhosa in Coimbra is doing a fine job at being a politician. Of course the PM and the President of the Republic had to show up immediately next to her to take credit of her actions. Sick sick. I was supposed to go to Coimbra on Thursday… I decided not to go and I guess it was a good decision. But I had an appointment at the hospital there and I’m so mad about having to cancel it for so many reasons.
I understand the anger. Entre os Rios and Borba were not acts of God and they exposed real failures in oversight. Portugal has had moments of short termism and uneven enforcement and that deserves reflection.
I am just more cautious about moving from infrastructure vulnerability to a wider moral conclusion. When floodwater undermines a riverbank after a dyke breach the cross section can look alarming, but hydraulic scour can remove supporting soil beneath even well engineered structures. That points to maintenance culture and resilience planning rather than necessarily to disregard.
Other Western democracies have faced painful reminders of their own blind spots. Grenfell was not a natural disaster and the UK’s RAAC crisis did not appear from nowhere. Those were serious systemic failures in wealthy states.
Portugal has governance weaknesses, certainly. I am not convinced the picture is one of indifference so much as of systems struggling to keep pace with risk.
Oh Teresa, you’re too sensible for my rage tonight :)
I think the truth lies somewhere between us. I have known enough politicians and pundits to know that many are so easily obsessed by the politicking that they forget why they went there. I have also known some good ones who care.
Rage away. It needs an outlet. And I know more about changeable politicians than I can post here. I’m permanently irritated by incompetence and self interest. Not just here…
But I have also been surrounded by doctors and engineers most of my life here in Portugal. People get angry about both. And it’s usually more complex than people think. As you say, the truth is somewhere in between.
Amen, sister. At least, after the collapse of the Hintze Ribeiro Bridge in Entre-os-Rios, on March 4, 2001, then-Minister of Transport Jorge Coelho resigned from his post, stating that the "blame cannot go unpunished". Coelho was from our village and a truly honorable guy. Where are they today??
You are right.. Portugal is wonderful at making new laws…but appalling at actually following them theirselves. Eg post the terrible fires in Pedragão Grande, the laws were put in place saying no pines, eucalyptus within 10m of the roads, and 50m of a house. Trees cut down right and centre that first year. Yet we regularly pass enormous trees by homes, roads etc and have complained to the junta several times re pines taller than our house - which has 4 floors, and that are right on the edge of the tarmac… Nothing. I live about 30 minutes from the Hintze Ribeiro Bridge that fell into the river at Entre-os-Rios…we visited the beautiful monument to those poor folk who died … and it really made me both sad and angry. Yet ‘even’ the UK had the Aberfan Disaster. (Hugs) because all we mere mortals can do is forbear, and complain and put pressure on where possible.
Lucy, what an amazing article. Thank you so much for writing this. We really are the country of desenrascanço and it shows: when it crumbled down and when we put it back up again. People feel abandoned and they are right to feel that way. You put into one text what I tried to convey in multiple. Thank you!
Obrigada Rafaela
It happened last month in wealthy, advanced Washington State in numerous locations after historically massive flooding. Including highway 'US 2', the original east-west trunk road over the Cascade mountains before it was supplanted by ginormous Interstate 90. The photo of the worst scene looks almost EXACTLY like the A1 road-collapse photo. https://washingtonstatestandard.com/briefs/us-2-closure-across-was-cascade-mountains-expected-to-last-months/ and https://www.nwprogressive.org/weblog/2025/12/these-wsdot-photos-show-why-u-s-2-through-the-cascades-is-closed-yes-even-to-cyclists-and-pedestrians.html [just re-opened yesterday, 2 months after the collapse] Sadly this is all in the category of 'Shit Happens' and is not to be attributed to laconic Portuguese standards.
I’m with you. Lots of bla-bla. And It happens everywhere. The tragedy in Crans-Montana in Switzerland on NYE is an example. Now, just before the half term holidays, the authorities closed an hotel there because the fire norms weren’t up to code. Suddenly, after tragedy strikes, everyone panics and goes to fix things. Not even shiny Switzerland is immune. We are not so shiny after all.
Weirdly heartening to know the Swiss are the same as everyone else!
In a way, I guess… Healthcare works quite well, although I’ve been through the wars and dealt with my fair share of rude and dismissive doctors.
80% of our doctors are like that
At least Ana Abrunhosa in Coimbra is doing a fine job at being a politician. Of course the PM and the President of the Republic had to show up immediately next to her to take credit of her actions. Sick sick. I was supposed to go to Coimbra on Thursday… I decided not to go and I guess it was a good decision. But I had an appointment at the hospital there and I’m so mad about having to cancel it for so many reasons.
I agree! So irritating that she had to be like Marcelo’s tourist guide!
I understand the anger. Entre os Rios and Borba were not acts of God and they exposed real failures in oversight. Portugal has had moments of short termism and uneven enforcement and that deserves reflection.
I am just more cautious about moving from infrastructure vulnerability to a wider moral conclusion. When floodwater undermines a riverbank after a dyke breach the cross section can look alarming, but hydraulic scour can remove supporting soil beneath even well engineered structures. That points to maintenance culture and resilience planning rather than necessarily to disregard.
Other Western democracies have faced painful reminders of their own blind spots. Grenfell was not a natural disaster and the UK’s RAAC crisis did not appear from nowhere. Those were serious systemic failures in wealthy states.
Portugal has governance weaknesses, certainly. I am not convinced the picture is one of indifference so much as of systems struggling to keep pace with risk.
I did!! I know all about it now
Almost an engineer already!
Oh Teresa, you’re too sensible for my rage tonight :)
I think the truth lies somewhere between us. I have known enough politicians and pundits to know that many are so easily obsessed by the politicking that they forget why they went there. I have also known some good ones who care.
AND WHAT IS HYDRAULIC SCOUR??? goes to google
Rage away. It needs an outlet. And I know more about changeable politicians than I can post here. I’m permanently irritated by incompetence and self interest. Not just here…
But I have also been surrounded by doctors and engineers most of my life here in Portugal. People get angry about both. And it’s usually more complex than people think. As you say, the truth is somewhere in between.
P.S. did you discover hydraulic scour?
Amen, sister. At least, after the collapse of the Hintze Ribeiro Bridge in Entre-os-Rios, on March 4, 2001, then-Minister of Transport Jorge Coelho resigned from his post, stating that the "blame cannot go unpunished". Coelho was from our village and a truly honorable guy. Where are they today??
Yeah, I don’t know where they all went :(
You are right.. Portugal is wonderful at making new laws…but appalling at actually following them theirselves. Eg post the terrible fires in Pedragão Grande, the laws were put in place saying no pines, eucalyptus within 10m of the roads, and 50m of a house. Trees cut down right and centre that first year. Yet we regularly pass enormous trees by homes, roads etc and have complained to the junta several times re pines taller than our house - which has 4 floors, and that are right on the edge of the tarmac… Nothing. I live about 30 minutes from the Hintze Ribeiro Bridge that fell into the river at Entre-os-Rios…we visited the beautiful monument to those poor folk who died … and it really made me both sad and angry. Yet ‘even’ the UK had the Aberfan Disaster. (Hugs) because all we mere mortals can do is forbear, and complain and put pressure on where possible.
Thanks Susan.
I’m appalled at the amount of eucalyptus near people and roads, still. It’s all so maddening. Maybe we should all just buy some chainsaws…. ;)
That actually…is tempting! But I can’t wield one these days! Too decrepit!
they do mini ones these days!!!