The collapse occurred during the early hours of the morning. 23 of the 30 residents were accommodated by the local authority, while the remaining seven found alternative housing solutions.
Landslide in Costa de Caparica hits three houses and forces at least 30 people to evacuate
Tuesday, 17 February 2026RSS
Context & Explainers
A landslide is the rapid downhill movement of rock, soil or debris, often caused by heavy rain, erosion or unstable slopes. In built areas like Costa da Caparica a landslide can threaten buildings and utilities, prompting authorities to evacuate residents as a safety measure; in emergencies call 112 and follow official instructions.
Civil Protection (Proteção Civil) is Portugal's national system for preventing, preparing for, and responding to disasters and emergencies — from wildfires and floods to earthquakes and storms.
The system is coordinated by the ANEPC (Autoridade Nacional de Emergência e Proteção Civil), which issues warnings, activates response plans, and coordinates firefighters, police, military, and municipal services. During major events, the ANEPC can activate the SIOPS (Sistema Integrado de Operações de Proteção e Socorro), a unified command structure for managing multi-agency responses.
Portugal's Civil Protection framework operates at three levels — national, district, and municipal — each maintaining its own emergency plans. The system has been under ongoing reform, with emergency associations pushing for clearer single-command structures to reduce confusion between responders during major incidents.
During weather emergencies, Proteção Civil issues safety advisories, may close roads and access routes, and coordinates rescue operations. Residents should follow official ANEPC guidance and call 112 for emergencies.
Inês de Medeiros is a Portuguese actress-turned-politician from the Socialist Party who has served in national politics and later took up local government responsibilities, including becoming mayor of Almada. She is mentioned in this story because the landslide and evacuations in Costa da Caparica on 17 February are matters the Almada municipal government and mayor’s office would handle.
LNEC is Portugal's National Laboratory for Civil Engineering (Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil), a state research and testing body founded in 1946 that provides studies, standards and technical advice on buildings, infrastructure, soils and coasts. Its reports and opinions are often used by public authorities, engineers and courts, so LNEC involvement matters for construction permits, flood assessments and geotechnical disputes.
AI Summary AvailableLandslide in Almada forces 20 people to evacuateRead the synthesized summary with context and explainers
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