Guimarães Civil Protection Warns of Autumn Preventive Measures

Municipal Service recommends clearing drainage systems and cleaning roofs to mitigate risks from heavy rain and strong winds.

Image of a roof gutter with leaves and debris, in Guimarães.
AI

Image of a roof gutter with leaves and debris, in Guimarães.

With the arrival of October, marking the beginning of the hydrological year, the Guimarães Municipal Civil Protection Service (SMPC) has issued recommendations for adopting preventive measures in anticipation of intense rainfall, strong winds, and slope instability.

The SMPC suggests that citizens clear drainage systems in yards and balconies, as well as clean gutters. Cleaning roof gutters by removing accumulated leaves, sand, and stones is also important.
Securing or removing structures that could be easily moved by strong winds is another essential preventive measure. In sloped terrain and burnt areas, it is recommended to avoid clear-cutting woody material and to remove or shred tree debris near watercourses.
During periods of intense precipitation, the SMPC advises adopting defensive driving, reducing speed, and paying special attention to the formation of water sheets and water accumulation on roads.
The Guimarães Municipal Civil Protection Service calls for appropriate behavior in the face of detected risks and encourages the reporting and alerting of dangerous situations to the competent services. This can be done via telephone at 253 421 212 or by email at smpc@cm-guimaraes.pt.
Based on information from the official source: ULS do Alto Ave (Guimarães) (28/09/2026)