Ostatnia aktualizacja: 2020-04-22. Autor: Milena

Hurricane Lorenzo hit the Azores on the 2nd of October, at dawn. It scared people but didn’t leave any casualties.

Not in humans – and that’s the most important. Port in Lajes in Flores Island is completely destroyed, 53 people had to change their habitation, but nobody was killed or injured.

As the President of the Regional Government of the Azores, Vasco Cordeiro, said: „There’s a lot of work, damage seems to be enormous, but we will do what the Azoreans have been doing in this archipelago for 600 years. Rebuild and move forward”.

The hurricane Lorenzo was approaching the Azores as a hurricane of the highest – the 5th – category. Luckily, just before hitting them it slowed down and weakened to the 1st category. It still meant waves around 15 meters high and wind gusts about 150 kph.

During the hurricane the habitants obeyed the recommendations of the local serviced and remained at their homes, accordingly supplied. A hurricane is no novelty for them, they know how to behave in such a situation. They take care of their own health and life.

The hurricane Lorenzo destroyed completely the port on Flores Island.It also caused damages in the area of Porto Pim in Faial Island.

It brought a lot of garbage from the ocean (I feel ashamed of what we, people, throw into the ocean), it flooded houses. It deprived many people of electricity, for some time also of the mobile and internet connection. Not to mention damaged walls and roads by the ocean.

But it’s nothing that the Azoreans wouldn’t be used to.

Since the 15th century, the Azorean people struggle with nature. They are in danger of earthquakes, volcano eruptions, hurricanes. Facing the danger is a part of their daily life. It’s their university of life. As Luís Godinho was telling me in the interview, a proximity of danger has a direct impact on their attitude towards life. Since tomorrow the hurricane can wipe my life off the face of the Earth, today I must enjoy it. (More in the article “Luís Godinho – Behind every face there is a story”).

You asked me if the hurricane Lorenzo is much different from what the Azoreans are used to. No, not really. (Of course after it slowed down to the 2st category. If it had stayed as a hurricane of the 5th category, we would be talking differently now). It was only different in terms of the physical damage on Flores Island. Firemen, volunteers, military services joined in to help and clean up the damages. The prime minister promised necessary financial help.

But you know what’s the most beautiful?

The fact that nobody is scared by the huge amount of work and money that needs to be invested in rebuilding the port in Flores. Everybody’s happy that nobody got killed or injured. And they move ahead. Maybe it’s a lesson for us?

Chosen sources:

Depois de o furacão Lorenzo passar é tempo de limpar e ajudar, DN, 2019-10-04
Açores. Furacão Lorenzo provocou danos elevados, RTP, 2019-10-03
Açores. Furacão Lorenzo provoca dezenas de desalojados, RTP, 2019-10-02
Furacão Lorenzo. PM garante todo o apoio, RTP, 2019-10-02
Açores. Furacão Lorenzo condiciona vida nas ilhas do grupo central, RTP, 2019-10-02
Equipa de militares dos três ramos das Forças Armadas chegou às Flores, RTP, 2019-10-05