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Overtopping and flooding in coastal zones and ports are common in Portugal, frequently endangering the safety of people and having serious socio-economic and environmental damages in affected areas.

The HIDRALERTA System can predict, in 72 hours, emergency situations in coastal zones and ports, issuing alert messages to the authorities, whenever the safety of people, property or activities in those areas is at risk.

This new forecasting and warning system was developed under a joint research project of the Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil (LNEC), the University of the Azores and the New University of Lisbon.

NOVA LINCS researcher from Multimodal Systems Group, Armanda Rodrigues, and NOVA LINCS PhD student, André Sabino, joined the research team working on the development of a software platform and a prototype for the project case studies: The Port of Praia da Vitória (Terceira Island) and the beach of S. João da Caparica (Almada).

The main results of project HIDRALERTA were presented in a public session held on 16 February at University of the Azores campus (Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira Island), with the presence of representatives of the Açores Regional Government, the City Council of Praia da Vitória, the City Council of Angra do Heroísmo, Portos dos Açores S.A., The Regional Service of Civil Protection and Azores Fire Department.